Seal the Deal
by karala.green
Summary: Draco/Hermione. Draco proposes to Pansy and instead of saying yes, she sets up a challenge for him which will eventually involve Hermione and Blaise, requiring his skills in manipulation and seduction.
1. The Deal

_**Title: **_**Seal the Deal**

_**Author: gelhie (keischara green)**_

_**Summary: **_Draco proposes to Pansy and instead of saying yes, she sets up a challenge for him which will eventually involve Hermione and Blaise, requiring his skills in manipulation and seduction.

_**Era: **_Post - Hogwarts

_**Disclaimer (for the whole story):**_ J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter (and the characters in it). Anything that you have read in J.K. Rowling's works is not mine. The plot is mine though. :)

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 1**

_**The Deal**_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

_Draco Malfoy always believed that 'blood is everything' – by blood, I mean heritage. He could not even push himself to believe that there was such a thing called "love". We could say that he remembers his mother's love and not much of his father's but the love that he did not believe in was the one that many people said could move mountains – the love for a lady._

_To him, there were different kinds of love but not such a love where he would choose to die for lady. Oh Merlin, __**no**__, he would rather live and choose the lady to be sacrificed in exchange for his own life._

_Yes, you could say that he was selfish and vain._

_Imagine being with a man like that._

_I would rather die._

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~) **

Draco felt like he had just closed his eyes when the rays of the sun touched his face. He stretched and yawned and pushed back the thoughts that plagued him as soon as he woke up but when he stood up and the silk sheets slid off his torso, the memory of last night replayed in his mind.

_**Flashback**_

Without any warning, in the middle of a decent conversation, Draco Malfoy brought out a silver orb and laid it on the table. Pansy Parkinson eyed it for a moment the looked up at Draco.

Judging by the molten silver swimming inside the orb, they both knew it was an Orb of Proposal.

"Marry me?" Draco asked as if he was just asking her out for lunch.

Pansy chuckled and didn't say anything for a while. She placed a delicate finger over her lips and thought really hard before she said anything. She likes Draco – probably even loves him but she wasn't _that_ easy and she was going to prove that to him. She realized that it was about time to play around with him and not the other way around.

"I won't," Pansy said flatly.

Draco smirked; he knew she wouldn't say yes – well, not yet. Pansy took the orb and raised it slightly then laid it on the table.

"The Orb of Proposal," Pansy whispered thoughtfully. "_I_ have a proposal."

"And what is this _proposal_?" Draco asked, genuinely interested.

"I will give you my answer," Pansy began. "…_if_ you win."

Draco stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

…and so she did, without being encouraged to: "If I win, I will have to take twenty-thousand galleons from you and you'll have to find some other time to propose to me."

"What is the deal?" Draco asked.

"You will find a decent girl, someone I would approve of, who will go to bed with you, go to lots of dates with you and agree to marry you at the end of a month," Pansy said and smiled to herself. It was a spontaneous idea but she could live with it.

Draco opened his mouth then closed it again. He did not expect this; he thought Pansy would just ask for a week to think about it or for some monetary compensation before she'd say "Yes, I will marry you".

"Why?" Draco asked, looking like he wanted to withdraw the Orb of Proposal.

"To prove yourself to me," Pansy replied. She knew that he would accept this reason.

…and he did. With the contemplative silence that filled the air momentarily, Pansy knew he was considering it. Draco would not back out from a challenge especially this that involved seduction and manipulation, something he almost perfected.

"No paid actresses or people you would pay with favors," Pansy added. "Preserve your pride, Draco, find a decent girl to play with."

Pansy stood up and walked over to Draco's side. She sat on his lap and straightened his black robe for him. "I don't want anyone dirtying you," she whispered and kissed him.

Pansy knows it wouldn't be that difficult for Draco to find a girl. She also knows that Draco would probably even attempt to cheat. She would know it all in case he does. She was going to hire someone to spy on him.

"When will the countdown start?" He asked when she pulled away to catch her breath.

"Two days from now to give you a head start," said Pansy and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Alright," Draco said, slightly hesitant.

"Was that a yes?" Pansy asked.

"Yes, it's a deal," he said and stared at the orb.

Pansy reached forward and pulled a strand of Draco's hair. She pulled one strand of her hair too and placed it near the orb. The silver inside the orb swirled and sucked the two strands of hair.

Then, Draco realized that the deal was magically bound. There was no turning back.

_**End of Flashback**_

Draco Malfoy groaned inwardly and ran his fingers through his pale blond hair. He stretched one last time then went into the bathroom, replaying the scene over and over in his head.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~) **

_**A/N: **_I edited this chapter. Yes, it is still quite short but the next ones will be longer, I promise. I had just finished writing "Alteration" that's why it's only now that I am writing for this.

No worries, I'll try to update more often. The plot for this kind of got messed up so I combined it with a new plot. :D

I hope you review and thanks in advance! :)

**_Twenty thousand galleons is equal to roughly two hundred thousand US dollars; roughly a hundred thousand UK pound._


	2. Mostly Routine

_**A/N: **_Yes, I edited this too so there are some changes. This plot is combined with a new one that's why I had to revise from Chapter 1.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 2**

_**Mostly Routine**_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

_Hermione Granger is a person who believed that everything had some good in them and for her to believe such a thing, it has to have proof. After conversing with her, I say she takes things in a technical perspective where everything has to have rules._

_Being with a woman like her would be an interesting change to my usual crowd, a breather from a very judgmental group and also, a challenge._

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

The moment that Hermione Granger woke up, she started running through the mental list she made last night and sat up, rearranging them in her head. By the time she went under the shower, she would have mapped out her schedule for the day.

Carrying a stack of papers and levitating a whole box of it, she struggled with the doorknob and ended up scattering the ones she was holding. The door of her bedroom opened and Blaise's head popped in.

"Good morning," Blaise greeted cheerfully.

"Not now, Blaise," Hermione said, annoyance almost brimming out of her eyes. "Whatever it is, it has to wait."

"You're grumpy today," he said and kicked the door open. He leaned against the doorframe in his silk pants and nothing else, holding two mugs of steaming coffee.

"I'm late," she said. "And my department cannot run alone."

"Because you don't want it to," he said and took a sip from one of the cups. "At least have a cup of coffee."

Hermione groaned and flicked her wand, the papers all landing into another box. She levitated both as she took the other mug from him. "Thank you."

"You're always welcome. You'll be wasting my effort of making a hearty breakfast but I'll let you go this time," Blaise said with a mock frown.

"Thank you," Hermione kissed him on the cheek. "And sorry."

"I'm used to it," he said. "You _always_ leave me alone."

"I do not!" She said, though she didn't feel strongly about it. She drank from her coffee mug to avoid talking about leaving one or another in the apartment.

"Are you wearing that to work?" Blaise eyed her plain white blouse and plain black skirt.

"What's wrong with it?" Hermione said and consciously hid her gray robe behind her back.

"You can't hide that from me," he said and sipped his coffee. "You should wear some of the clothes I brought home last night."

"Oh stop it," she said, leaving the coffee mug on the table near the door. "Go enjoy your breakfast."

"I will," he said teasingly and she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

Before she could apparate out of the apartment, he stopped her by "accidentally" throwing coffee on her skirt. She gasped, dropping the boxes of papers and her cloak on the ground.

"Oops," Blaise said. "My fault."

Before Hermione could throw a fit, Blaise ran to the couch and pulled out a red skirt and a black coat out of a black bag. "Here, wear this."

Hermione growled and glared at him and Blaise smirked when she snatched the red skirt out of his hand.

"Take the coat too," Blaise said and deliberately tipped his coffee mug over Hermione's gray coat lying on the floor.

Hermione groaned and picked up the box, stuffing the coat and the skirt into it. "Fix the mess," she told him menacingly before apparating with a _crack!_

Blaise chuckled and sipped the coffee left in his mug. He picked up the gray robe off the floor and threw it over the couch, the coffee stain still slightly damp. He took the mug she left and went back into the kitchen, feeling self-satisfied that he left Hermione with no choice on what to wear.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione marched into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures with Ginny tailing her and asking about the coffee smell that she could smell off her.

Hermione frowned. "Blaise threw coffee on my skirt."

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"So that I'd wear this," Hermione showed Ginny the red skirt from the box.

Ginny nodded thoughtfully. "Not bad."

"Ginny!"

"Sorry," she held her hands up. "I just think you should wear it if you don't want to be walking around with the smell of coffee tailing you."

Hermione groaned. "Lock the door."

Ginny did so with a flick of her wand. Hermione unzipped her skirt and grudgingly put the red one on, though, she had to admit, the cloth was really soft and comfortable.

"Nice," Ginny said appraisingly. "I envy you."

Hermione looked up at her as she folded the black skirt and threw it into her black satchel.

"You are living with a man who wants to give you all the clothes you want -- designs that are not even out on the market -- for free!" Ginny threw her hands up in the air.

"I am not interested," Hermione replied flatly.

"That's my point!" Ginny said. "I don't mind taking the clothes he's offering you."

"It's not right to take advantage of him," Hermione said.

"You're his best friend!" Ginny retorted. "You've been living together for five years. When you accept something from him, it's not taking advantage anymore!"

"Still…"

"Oh Hermione," she sighed. "You chose living with him over me."

"That's because you already moved in with Harry."

Ginny blushed, remembering that she was right but she ignored her. "You worked out a relationship that's unbelievable."

Now that Hermione thought about it, she has been living with Blaise for five years starting a year after they graduated.

It started out as a mistake when the owner of the apartments gave Blaise the same unit number as her and they had to wait three months to get Blaise to move out to another unit. But before the three months was up, the two had developed a system of existing with each other in one unit.

It was during the Holidays when Blaise asked if he could just stay with her so that whenever he goes home, it would be warm and not empty and silent. They lived through a year, then Blaise bought another space since he needed more room and Hermione thought that would be the end of their living together but when she went home one day, she found the apartment empty and she panicked but Blaise appeared a few moments later, telling her that he moved her things to his place.

Hermione didn't talk to him for a week but she still went home with him.

Though being in close proximity most of the time, they didn't see each other in romantic terms. Maybe being to immune to each other's presence was the key to it.

They stayed friends – best friends, according to Ginny, since then.

"By unbelievable, do you mean 'it's amazing that it's been that long and he doesn't find me sexually stimulating'?" Hermione said after snapping out of her reverie.

Ginny's mouth fell open. "No! I mean 'unbelievable that a Slytherin and a Gryffindor could co-exist that long'."

"The Slytherins were with us in Hogwarts," Hermione pointed out.

"That was different! We had separate rooms!"

"Blaise and I have separate rooms," Hermione said and brought out the stack of papers from the box.

"You know what I mean, Hermione," Ginny sighed.

"We're not in Hogwarts anymore, Ginny. Slytherins, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws don't kill each other out here. We've matured. We know how to interact," Hermione explained.

Ginny shrugged. "But can't you accept the clothes?"

Hermione shot her a look.

"Alright, I'll go," Ginny said. "See you later."

Hermione sat behind her desk and sighed.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Blaise adjusted his coat as he walked towards the bar across the street, flashing its name with a sparkling sign: _Esotico_. He searched the crowd until he found a pale blond head, turned away from his direction.

"All right?" Blaise patted Draco Malfoy's shoulder.

"Zabini," Draco regarded him with a nod. "I'm a mess."

"You can say that," Blaise said and clicked his tongue once after seeing the shadows under Draco's eyes. "It's been a long time. What happened to you?"

Draco smirked.

"Is it Pansy?" Blaise said, knowing about the relationship that had been gracing the wizarding magazines since half a year ago. He had not seen Draco since he started living with Hermione. He would only see Draco in moving photographs taken for the magazines but not in person.

"I proposed to her," Draco said flatly.

"Wow," Blaise searched Draco's face. "This is going to be filling up the pages of the magazine."

"No!" Draco protested, rather strongly. "No one can know about it."

"Why?" Blaise's face fell.

Blaise had been working for _Premier_ and have quickly walked up the ladder since he first joined. He enjoyed ordering people around but he enjoyed the company of the ladies working for him and also the ones he was working for. He was the editor-in-chief of the magazine as well the supervisor of the events that happened around it. The work was great, the pay was exceptional and the benefits were phenomenal.

So when Draco denied him of a nice piece of article for the magazine, he felt deprived.

"She didn't give me an answer yet," Draco said at the same time that a phone rang. Blaise pulled out a phone and answered it.

"Not really… I'll be home soon… A few drinks maybe… Sure," Blaise smiled at the table and ended the call.

"Who was that?" Draco asked, annoyed that Blaise just let Draco hang in the air with the statement to answer a phone call.

"Hermione," Blaise said. "She's right, I can't run away if I have this." He waved the phone and pocketed it.

"Hermione?" Draco asked. "Granger?"

Blaise nodded.

"You're going out with her?"

"Oh… no," Blaise's eyebrows arched up. "I live with her."

Draco's mouth fell open.

"Yes," Blaise said. "That's what you get for not keeping in touch."

"I called you this morning," Draco pointed out.

"Because you need someone to talk to," Blaise's lips thinned.

"It has been years. Let's not dwell on this," Draco said, his head a bit hazy with the two glasses he drank.

"I agree," Blaise ordered a drink.

"We have some catching up to do then," Draco faced Blaise.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

After Hermione told Blaise that she'd be out with Cormac McLaggen tonight, so she'd be home late, she looked up and was surprised when Cormac kissed her.

"You look great," Cormac greeted Hermione. He had been waiting beside the telephone booth (that led to the Ministry of Magic).

"Thank you," Hermione smiled at him and pocketed her phone, feeling satisfied that she could reach Blaise that easily. "How was your day?"

"Lonely," Cormac or as Hermione calls him fondly: Mac said with a frown on his face. Hermione chuckled and took the hint.

Hermione had been going out with Mac for almost six months. She found him charming when after a few dates; he went up to her and asked her if he could be given the chance to be with her right at the moment that fireworks filled the sky.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked.

"Dinner?" Mac suggested with a smile and Hermione nodded.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Blaise used his key to open the main door and found Hermione who fell asleep on the couch facing the wide window across it. He crouched down to level his face with hers and placed a hand on her arm to wake her up. She stirred and slightly jumped when her vision did not clear up right away.

"Do you want me to carry you to your room?" Blaise asked, seeing Hermione needed as much rest as she can get.

…but she can be stubborn. "No, no, I'm fine. How was your night?" She asked and yawned before Blaise could say anything.

When she heard Blaise chuckle, she looked up at him. "Sorry, it's just an after-effect of my nap," Hermione explained her yawning.

"I met up with Draco Malfoy," Blaise said. Feeling the strain on his muscles with his position, he sat on the unoccupied space of the couch, beside Hermione's waist.

"Really?" Hermione asked, blinking. "That name never came up for a long time."

"I've been giving you the magazines where he was featured with Pansy Parkinson," Blaise's eyebrows met, trying to remember if he really did.

"I never read those magazines," Hermione said, letting a tinge of guilt touch her tone.

"That's very supportive of you," Blaise said sarcastically.

"How is he?"

"He's a mess," Blaise said. "A Pansy issue."

Hermione chuckled.

"He buys and sells artifacts. Damn, that git is rich," Blaise continued.

"And you're not?" Hermione asked.

"Compared to him, I'm not," Blaise said and clicked his tongue.

"Then I'm a rat," she muttered.

"You're not," he protested and looked at her like she said a very bad joke.

"I'm poor compared to you, what more to him?" Hermione shrugged and cradled her head with one hand as she lay on the couch sideways to make room for Blaise to sit on.

Blaise did not hear her as he plotted ways on how he could earn more money. When he noticed Hermione's eyes putting holes on the side of his head, he turned to her and snapped out of his calculations.

"Sorry," he muttered. "How was dinner with McLaggen?"

"Sweet," she whispered.

"Why didn't you go home with him to his place?" Blaise asked.

"He offered and I said I'm busy," Hermione replied.

"You should live more, Hermione."

"Tell me that some other time," Hermione pushed him off the couch, which made him land on his ass on the floor and Hermione laughed like crazy. Blaise faced her with a smirk on his face and Hermione's eyes widened in horror, sensing his desire for revenge. She leapt out of the couch and ran into her room, laughing. She locked the door before he could catch her.

"That's really childish," Blaise's muffled voice came through the door.

Hermione laughed and replied: "_You're_ the one running after me."

Blaise laughed too and after a moment, he said: "Good night."

Hermione relaxed and smiled at the closed door: "Good night."

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

_**A/N: **_Alright, I know, the first two chapters are just to introduce the characters. I enjoy this part but we have to move on. *smiles*

As you have noticed, this fanfic requires you to forget some information that is embedded in the real Harry Potter series (by J.K. Rowling): Firstly, Astoria Greengrass is not Draco Malfoy's wife. Second, Hermione Granger is dating Cormac McLaggen and not Ronald Weasley. Third, though their jobs are made up and not in J.K. Rowling's version, just include it here.

Therefore, this plot = AU.

Review and make me happy! :)


	3. Lust and Alcohol

_**A/N: **_I have been playing around with my writing and I started writing for this (_Seal the Deal_) and Prank since I finished Alteration (only needs editing now). A new idea came up and instead of posting a whole new fanfic, I combined it with the plot of this one.

Okay, it's not exactly a concrete plot but we'll see…

_I think I fell in love with the Blaise and Hermione friendship and my love for it fueled this idea._

(**INFO!!!**) I have **edited Chapter 1 and 2 of Seal the Deal** – a change in the proposal conditions, grammar and stuff, which reminds me, I think I need someone to edit my chapters for me now (a beta-reader, I mean). My _**supervisor**_ keeps pushing me to write but _**refuses **_to edit my stories for me so I have to do it myself (*sigh) and it gets tiring having to wait a day before I could reread it (I have breaks between my editing so that I won't be bored with my own chapters).

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 3**

_**Lust and Alcohol**_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Blaise seemed to almost jump up and down with joy when he arrived home one night. Hermione found it difficult to keep up with his mood since she hasn't been sleeping well. The number of reports destined for the department she headed was multiplying that week and she could not bring herself to be very happy for Blaise's announcement.

"Wendy Starlin," Blaise began with a dramatic pause and an air of pride. "_She_ asked me to go with her to the launch party."

"That's great," Hermione said half-heartedly, searching her brain for information he might have said before about Wendy Starlin.

"You don't know her," he said flatly.

She shook her head and pursed her lips guiltily.

He sighed. "She's the daughter of the owner of the magazine."

"Oh," she managed to whisper but failed to comprehend how that could make Blaise so happy when he could go with any supermodel – any woman – he wanted.

"This would be very good for my record," he said and he flopped on the couch.

"Oh," Hermione said more energetically, finally understanding the good mood he was in. Blaise had a chance to rise up the ladder of fame – again.

"Would you like to go to the party?" Blaise asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know what I'll do there."

"Bring McLaggen along," he suggested. "He'll have fun with all the models who would be attending."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed at her.

"You need a vacation," Blaise said. "You look like you've been under the heat and rain without sleep."

"Thanks," she replied sarcastically.

Blaise chuckled and made himself lie-down on the couch. "I had a great day."

"Good for you," Hermione said bitterly, feeling her lack of energy darkening the room.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

The next evening, as soon as Blaise opened the door, he heard objects drop to the floor but he didn't see it since Hermione's arms wrapped around his neck and his view was obstructed by her hair on his face.

"All right?" Blaise held Hermione's elbows and unraveled her arms around his neck.

His eyes widened slightly when he saw Hermione's eyes puffy and red from crying.

"What happened?" He asked, brushing Hermione's hair off her face with his fingers.

"Mac," she whispered and he froze, bracing himself for what she'd say next.

"Is he dead?" He asked and she shook her head then started sobbing.

Blaise knew, besides the news that McLaggen is dead, there was one other thing that would make Hermione cry like this: Cormac McLaggen broke up with her. He hugged her and pulled her inside, closing the door with one hand.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

"Why didn't you tell me last night?" Ginny whispered to Blaise, murderously.

"How would I know you're not busy with Harry?" Blaise said and shrugged.

"Harry left with Ron on a search," Ginny said absentmindedly as she watched Hermione sleeping through the slit of the door. "They'll be back next week."

"I should go kill McLaggen then," Blaise said nonchalantly and strode casually to the door.

Ginny ran after him. "Stop it. She'd want us to be mature about this."

He looked back at the sleeping Hermione and sighed. He walked away from Ginny and into the kitchen. Ginny knew, basing on Hermione's stories, that when Blaise goes to the kitchen in a bad mood, he just wants to vent by preparing food.

Ginny closed the door to Hermione's bedroom and followed Blaise to the kitchen.

"Why are you in such a bad mood?" Ginny asked.

"Should I be happy that she's heartbroken?" Blaise said to Ginny without looking at her.

"But I thought you were the one who always had the sun shining over his head," she pointed out. "You shouldn't be matching her mood. You should be neutralizing it."

"Why don't you try laughing at a time like this, _Miss Sunshine_?" He said sarcastically as he turned the knob on high to boil the water.

Ginny sighed and laid her head on the table.

"Good morning," Hermione greeted them both.

Ginny sat up abruptly and plastered a smile on her face. "Good morning."

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked and took the seat beside her.

"She's here to learn how to cook pasta," Blaise chimed in.

"Nice try, Blaise," Hermione smiled at him.

"I'm sorry Hermione," Ginny instantly went into her state of comfort and held Hermione's hand.

"It's not your fault Ginny," Hermione said.

Blaise dropped the pasta into the boiling water and went to the table to sit with them.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Blaise asked.

After a long pause, Hermione shook her head.

"What are you going to do now?" He asked.

Hermione shrugged, stared at the table for a while and said: "I'm going to kill him."

Ginny exchanged knowing looks with Blaise. He stood up and continued cooking, trying to envision Hermione throwing the Killing Curse at McLaggen. He muttered "mature" under his breath and chuckled.

"Calm down, Hermione," Ginny tried to flatten a stray lock of Hermione's hair. "You'll regret it after you kill him."

Hermione didn't reply. Of course, she really didn't plan to do it. She wouldn't waste her freedom just to kill someone who is not even worth it. Blaise served them both with plates of pasta and some Italian sauce before he sat down with his own plate.

Ginny tasted it and grinned at Blaise. "This is amazing! You're a genius."

Blaise grinned, self-satisfied.

"Why don't you take the week off?" Ginny suggested after a long moment of silence.

"I'll go crazy," Hermione replied.

"Then come with me to the party," Blaise suggested. "It's just one night. It won't take the whole week."

"No, thank you for the offer," Hermione said flatly.

Ginny gave a worried glance at Blaise as she chewed on the pasta.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Blaise walked in through the main door with flowers in hand. He placed it on the floor beside the couch when he found Hermione sleeping. She stirred and looked up at him. He showed her the flowers with a smile on his face.

"What a waste of money," Hermione said with a hoarse voice.

"A little appreciation would be nice," Blaise said with a chuckle.

After rubbing her eyes and sitting up, she turned to Blaise with a sincere smile: "Thank you."

"So would you go to the party with me?" Blaise asked.

"Oh stop it Blaise," she groaned. "No."

"Oh come on. It would be a nice variation – maybe it's what you need."

Hermione considered this for a while then shook her head.

"Really, you can be very stubborn," Blaise said in surrender.

"And I take pride in that," Hermione lifted her chin up.

"Come to the party with me," he said and flopped beside her on the couch.

"How about Wendy Starlin?" She reminded him. Though it wasn't a definite 'yes', Blaise was already smiling to himself.

"It's a launch party," he said. "Wendy can go elsewhere without me."

Hermione smiled at Blaise. "I'll go then."

Blaise remembered something. "I'll prepare your dress for you."

Hermione frowned. "What's wrong with my own dresses?"

"Well," he clicked his tongue. "You don't have one."

She frowned again. "I have some!"

"Then… they're outdated," he said.

"Thanks for reminding me how poor I am," she pouted.

"You're not poor; you just refuse to buy yourself a better dress."

"What's it with you and my clothes?"

"Nothing," Blaise mocked her by exaggerating and raising his hands as if caught doing something wrong. "We didn't do anything wrong!"

Hermione laughed and it was all that Blaise wanted to hear.

"It's settled then. You do nothing aside from rest and I do everything else," he said and stood up to go to his room.

"That's unfair," she called out after him but he ignored her.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

The night of the party came and Blaise made it a point that Hermione would not see the dress until the night itself.

"What if it doesn't fit?" Hermione argued with him one night.

"Oh, it will," Blaise said with confidence as if he had been taking her measurements when she was asleep.

It was a white dress that wrapped her around the middle with gold clasps that held it over her shoulders and cover her thighs. Hermione felt uncomfortable but she sure loved the dress. She felt like melting in the material.

"That suits you," Blaise said. "Wendy chooses well."

"S-she chose this?" Hermione looked down at the dress.

"She made it," he corrected.

"That's bloody amazing," she admired the dress.

"This is from her as well," Blaise gave her a shoe box with golden sandals.

"You really planned this out," Hermione sighed and took the box from him.

"I did but Wendy stepped in and did most of the work," he shrugged.

"Let's go or we'll be late," Blaise checked his timepiece. "A man is never late."

"I'm not a man," Hermione said and slipped the sandals on. It fit her perfectly. Living with a person for a long time makes them aware of your dress and shoe size after all – even if she was living with a straight man. Hermione pointed her wand to her head and muttered a spell to fix itself.

"You look great," Blaise smiled at her and held his hand out. Hermione smiled back and clasped his hand tight as they disapparated from their apartment.

_Crack!_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Most of the evening, Hermione spent the time alone, drinking and staring to her heart's content. Blaise always had people to meet, people to talk to and people to scold. He was assigned the event and he was certainly running it – his style. He apologized earlier that evening when he had to leave her to go over to Wendy Starlin.

Hermione met Wendy and Wendy admired the dress she made by saying "like it was made for you".

_Oh wasn't it? _Hermione thought.

"Hermione Granger?" a familiar voice came from behind her. Hermione almost jumped when she saw Draco Malfoy standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Trying to enjoy the party," Draco replied.

"_Trying_?" She repeated.

"Pansy didn't attend the party. I thought she would," he said and pocketed his hands. "You look wonderful."

"T-thank you," Hermione smiled; surprised to hear a compliment tumble out of her past-enemy's mouth.

"Are you here with Blaise?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that myself," Hermione said, annoyance reaching its peak.

"Then spend the remaining hours of this party with me," Draco suggested, noticing the fire spark out of her eyes.

Hermione turned to him, startled, deciding if Draco has matured and had forgotten their silly arguments when they were back in Hogwarts.

"Is something wrong?" He asked when she didn't reply to his suggestion.

"Oh, n-nothing," she stuttered. "Spending time with you is fine with me."

Draco smirked. "Oh, were you weighing the consequences?"

Hermione nodded. "I didn't think you'd associate with a muggle-born like me."

"Mudblood," Draco corrected.

"What?" Hermione whipped her head to him.

"If I were you, I'd use the term 'mudblood' and not 'muggle-born'," he said with a thoughtful nod.

"That was _low_," she glared at him. "Consider yourself lucky that I had a lot to drink."

"I've had quite a lot as well," Draco shrugged.

Hermione walked away, searching for Blaise in the process. When she spotted him, she made her way to the spot where he stood and ignored the others (including Wendy) staring at her.

"I'm going home," Hermione whispered to him, feeling her ears heat up in annoyance.

Blaise stopped and excused himself from the crowd to face Hermione. "Why?"

"I ran into your ferret of a friend, _Malfoy_."

Blaise was torn between accompanying her home and staying to speak to his bosses.

"You could stay. I just had to tell you I'm leaving," Hermione helped him with his dilemma.

"Wait, wait," Blaise said and ran to Malfoy to whisper something to him. When he went back to Hermione, he looked at ease.

"I told Malfoy to accompany you home," Blaise said and turned away from her to go back to join the group.

"That wasn't necessary," Hermione said to Blaise, who ignored her. She walked away, muttering under her breath.

"If it wasn't for Blaise…" Draco said to her when she approached. "Let's go."

"I don't need you, Malfoy," Hermione said with contempt. "I can get home myself."

She walked out the revolving door and apparated but not before Draco gripped her wrist.

"Are you crazy!?" Hermione screamed when they appeared in front of the main door. "You could have gotten splinched."

Though she was tipsy, she still had her reasonable senses with her.

"It didn't happen, relax," Draco let her wrist go. "You'll wake your neighbors."

Hermione pursed her lips and looked around to see if anyone woke up. When no sound was heard, she opened the door and let herself in.

"Shouldn't you invite me inside?"

"You are not welcome," Hermione said and was about to slam the door to his face but Draco accidentally slipped his hand between the door and the frame in mid-action to stop her from closing the door.

Draco yelped in pain and Hermione was partially jolted out of her intoxicated state, rushing to Draco when she was feeling guilty. Hermione pulled him inside and to the kitchen to place an ice pack on his hand.

"Sorry," she whispered and went back to close the door.

"Are you that mad at me?" Draco glared at her.

"You shouldn't have stuck your hand in, you idiot," Hermione retorted, feeling her head swirl.

"You could say sorry," he pointed out and continued to hold the ice pack to his hand.

"Sorry," she said flatly, like a parrot mimicking what it hears.

Hermione stood up and made her way to her room to change into something more comfortable. Draco followed her, while holding the ice pack. When he glanced up, he was surprised to see Hermione's back as she slid the dress off her body. Draco held his breath.

If it wasn't for her underwear, he would have been enjoying live, fully-naked pornography.

_When did that happen?_ Draco wondered and admired the view he had from behind. Without being aware of it, he was wishing that she'd slip her underwear off too. Hermione must have felt his eyes roaming her back because she glanced behind her shoulder and saw him gaping.

"You pervert!" Hermione stomped angrily and slammed the door closed. It didn't stay closed for too long, she made her way out angrily and glaring at Malfoy. "Who gave you permission to watch me undress?!"

"You shouldn't leave your door open like that if you don't want people seeing you undress," Draco said, feeling her hand close threateningly around his throat.

"You were _not_ supposed to watch," she growled menacingly.

"It was a natural reaction!" He retorted, still holding the ice pack to his sore hand.

"Blaise wouldn't have stared like that!"

"Blaise isn't stirred when he sees you like that," Draco moved back a few steps when Hermione continued to push him.

She stopped pushing and stared at Draco. "And… you are?"

Draco replayed the conversation in his head and slapped himself mentally, dropping the ice pack from his hand. "I didn't mean it like that."

Hermione's arms relaxed and her eyes were red with the strain or probably the alcohol. Draco straightened his robe and watched Hermione breathe in and breathe out like she was controlling her anger towards him.

"Don't strain yourself," Draco said sarcastically and straightened the creases in front of his robe.

"I'm not," Hermione said but felt light-headed. She bent down and picked up the ice-pack to hand to him.

He took it and watched her stand there in the uncomfortable atmosphere. Draco, feeling physically tired as well, turned to leave.

"Go to sleep Granger," Draco said and held the ice pack.

"Good night," Hermione said wearily and tripped on the carpet, making her push Draco. He fell forward and hit the door with his head. Draco groaned in pain and transferred the ice pack to his head. Hermione slightly struggled to stand up. She tried once and fell on the floor. The second time, she fell again and in the third time, Draco pulled her up but she was swaying in her spot. Draco positioned his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

As soon as they entered, Draco saw that Hermione's taste couldn't be more Hermione. The business-like ceilings and the blue carpet were confirmation enough. He slowly lowered her to her bed and her arms stayed locked around his neck.

It was quick and unplanned, Hermione pulled down half-consciously and his face leveled to hers. With their breaths, smelling very much like the number of glasses of alcohol they drank at the party, mingling between them, all he had to do was lean forward…

…and he did, which he kept justifying to himself that it was just lust and alcohol.

When the kisses became more aggressive, none of them struggled to stop it. His arms moved to wrap around her and positioned her onto the bed. She parted her lips, which allowed his tongue to explore hers. Their breathing was jagged and Draco's heart was pounding loudly.

Draco's hands roamed to search for the buttons of her pajama top, when he got frustrated with the buttons, he slipped it off her head with no difficulty, momentarily breaking their lip-lock. He proceeded to kissing her and their temperatures were both rising gradually. He kissed her neck and down to her…

He felt her muscles relax under him.

Draco stopped and raised his head to look at Hermione. She had fallen asleep.

"Oh Merlin," Draco muttered and buried his face into the pillow beside her head. He moved off her and without thinking, he let exhaustion take over him.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

_**A/N: **_I'm sorry that had to happen to Draco and Hermione. Hahaha.

It's fun though, manipulating your favorite pairing's world.

**Go on and review! (It is very much appreciated.) :) :) :)**

*_Cormac McLaggen_ is the Gryffindor that Hermione went with for the party of the Slug Club.

**_splinched_ is when a wizard/witch apparates/disapparates and leaves a part of their body behind

***Wendy Starlin (is an OC) is not part of the Harry Potter series. (so she's mine -- in an object-owner sense of the word)


	4. A Slight Shift

_**A/N: **_My supervisor complimented me on this fanfic, yehey! (*grins) I didn't let her read this chapter before posting though... so I don't know if she'll resign as my supervisor because of it.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 4**

_**A Slight Shift**_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Waking up on the right side of the bed had never been a bad start for a new day.

One morning though, Hermione turned, sighing contentedly. She stretched and yawned; she did not imagine what she would see when her hand landed on something warm beside her. She whipped around in shock and gasped at the pale blond head whose face was concealed from view by the blanket covering his face.

Even without the confirmation on who the man was, she feared the worst.

The morning temperature caressed her skin and her hand consciously went up to her chest. She looked down and saw her white strapless brassiere. She gasped and jumped, pulling the blanket off of Draco's face.

Draco stirred as she went around the bed and found her pajama top on Draco's side. Hermione groaned when a memory of kissing Draco appeared in her head.

When she noticed him slowly opening his eyes, she looked around the room and had an impulse to hide from him but his eyes were already open before she could decide. Draco did not say anything as he stared at Hermione trying to cover herself with a blanket and her pajama top.

"What are you doing in here!?" Hermione yelled at him as soon as her mind started to clear up.

Draco groaned and buried his face in the pillow. "Stop yelling Granger. You're making my hangover worse."

"Why are you on my bed!?" Hermione took the chance of him not looking and slipped her pajama top on.

When Draco looked back at her, she had her top halfway down. "Don't you remember?"

"No," Hermione said though she could remember bits and pieces of the memory of their lips touching – but _was that all_? Hermione looked down and saw her pants were on.

Draco stretched and sat up. "…it's not as if I wanted to go to bed with you."

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms across her chest.

"I just fell asleep," Draco said, stating the opposite and stood up. He was taller than her and she didn't like being looked down on – literally and figuratively.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something.

"You really don't remember?" Draco asked again.

"No," she said firmly.

"Good," he walked out her bedroom door, straightening the robe he slept in.

Hermione's mind was suddenly alert. She ran to Blaise's bedroom door and slowly opened it but she felt relief wash over her when she found his bed empty. These were the times when Hermione was glad that Blaise was fond of sleeping over in other places (with other women).

Draco watched her suddenly bolt out of her room to peek into the other bedroom across her own.

"Are you always that nosy?" Draco asked with an eyebrow raised.

Hermione glared at him.

"Don't tell anyone about this," Hermione said threateningly. "Not even Blaise."

"I wouldn't tell them I slept with a mudblood... _even if_ I just slept," he raked his fingers through his hair.

When Hermione considered that he had something to lose if he told them, she settled with the thought that he wouldn't tell anyone about waking up beside each other.

"Leave now," Hermione, fearing that Blaise would be home soon, pushed Draco out of the apartment door.

"I had a great time last night," Draco said when he was outside the door, sounding smitten and sincere. Hermione soon realized why this was when the lady living in the apartment next to their unit passed behind him.

Hermione gritted her teeth and growled at Draco; she had a strong desire to punch him at the moment that the lady disappeared in the corner leading to the elevators.

Draco laughed and disappeared with a _crack!_

Before Hermione could close the door, Blaise apparated in front of her.

"_Good_ morning," Blaise greeted her in a cheery tone. Hermione jumped when she saw a mischievous grin on his face.

"Good you decided to come home," Hermione said, hoping it would be interpreted as teasing.

Blaise didn't seem to care because he walked in while sighing. "Wendy… is amazing."

Hermione felt relief wash over her as she realized that Blaise was too caught up in his own escapade last night to give notice to her skittish behavior.

"That's nice to hear," Hermione managed to say before he could question her lack of response.

"Nice!?" Blaise looked at her. "I've never described a woman as _amazing_."

Hermione sat on the single couch and Blaise sat on the long one.

"And…?" Hermione encouraged him to continue.

"Nothing happened last night," Blaise said.

Hermione's face contorted into an expression of disgust. "I didn't need to know that."

Blaise chuckled. "Don't you see? This could mean something."

Hermione caught up with what he meant. "Are you serious?"

He nodded.

"Are you in love?" She asked and he laughed.

"No!" He said when his laughter subsided. "Not yet."

Hermione felt a strained smile cross her face. She didn't mean to be selfish but if Blaise starts getting serious, it would mean this could lead to more than sleepovers in a woman's house…

…

_Blaise would get married!_

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked when he noticed her odd expression.

"I just can't imagine you being in a serious relationship," Hermione said and flashed an apologetic look.

"It's alright. It's my fault. You've seen my adventures for the past years," he clicked his tongue. "I just never felt this way."

"That's good to know," she said and smiled at him, trying to get used to the feeling of feeling happy for him.

Blaise sighed and smiled at the ceiling. As if jolted to reality, he turned to her. "How was the party?"

Hermione felt her stomach jump at his question. "Dreadful."

"Was it the food?" He asked, looking concerned.

"No," she thought of a way around the 'dreadful' that slip out of her mouth. "You've been running around all night and I didn't know anyone else there."

"I'm sorry," he looked at her apologetically. "Draco was there."

"It wouldn't have been so dreadful if he didn't suddenly start bringing up things of the past," she explained.

"What things?"

"…the insults," she found it hard to say 'He called me a mudblood… again'.

"Well, did the evening turn out well when you got home?" He asked.

"W-what do you mean?"

Blaise looked at her questioningly.

"I mean… I finally got the chance to rest," Hermione rushed to a quick save.

"Were you waiting for me outside?" Blaise asked.

"Hm?" Hermione looked up after a series of curses in her head for almost slipping the situation that morning.

"You were waiting? Before I arrived, the door was open," Blaise, noting her expression, asked again.

"I was waiting for the muggle newspaper," Hermione said the first thing she could think of.

"Did you subscribe to that?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I want to," she said with an almost-cheery tone. "I'll probably order for one."

Blaise eyed her for a while.

"I'm really sorry," he said. "…about the party."

She just nodded, hoping that he was drowning in his guilt to not notice her tiny slips.

"Let's go for dinner one time," he said.

"I've had enough of your social crowd," she smiled.

"Just the two of us," he suggested. "Dinner?"

"Alright," she nodded, feeling extremely relieved that Blaise didn't see through her. Also, dinner might be one of the few things that she'd miss if Blaise becomes serious with Wendy.

"How are you feeling?" Blaise asked, his face serious.

Hermione knew right away that he was asking about her situation with McLaggen. "I'm fine."

Blaise, knowing that she was far from fine, just stared at her.

"My head hurts," she said and touched her temples to avoid his eyes.

"It's a hangover," he pointed out, standing up to go to the kitchen.

She tried recalling how many glasses she drank but failed to do so.

"Here," Blaise handed her a vial of brown liquid and a glass of water. "It'll take the headache away."

Hermione took it and grimaced at the taste of the potion in her mouth.

"It tastes horrible but it works really well," he said and took the glass when she emptied it.

She smiled at the back of his head, thinking back on why she didn't befriend Blaise when they were still in Hogwarts.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

The next day, when her work hours in the Ministry were up, Hermione left the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and moved on to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to see Harry and Ron.

When the elevator doors opened, she found Harry and Ron grinning at her as few pieces of paper flew out of the elevator to send themselves. Hermione returned the grin and hugged them both when the elevator doors slid close.

"How was your trip?" was Hermione's greeting and let them go.

"Back-breaking," Ron complained and held his backside to emphasize his point.

"Hermione," Harry said in a voice full of concern. "We heard… about…"

"McLaggen," Ron finished with a rueful tone.

Hermione stiffened slightly but managed to smile at them both. "I'm fine now."

"Really?" Ron searched her face.

"Do you want to join us for dinner?" Harry offered, trying to push away the McLaggen issue to the periphery for a while.

"I would love to."

So the trio proceeded to go on to _Delicatezza_, a restaurant quite famous for its dishes located just a few blocks from the telephone booth leading to the Ministry of Magic. The three had discovered the place back when they celebrated one of Harry's birthdays.

The trio picked a table at the far corner of the room.

"Where did you go to this time?" Hermione asked as soon as they settled. "I had to find out from Ginny that you both left."

"It was a sudden decision," Harry said as an explanation but Ron stumbled forward to tell her.

"Harry and I were assigned to this investigation on grave-robbers in Egypt," Ron began animatedly. "The robbers had been selling the wands and other things that they find."

An attractive lady turned out to be their waitress. She handed them each a menu and told them she'd be back if they were ready to order.

"It was fun," Harry added.

"It wasn't!" Ron protested and Hermione glanced at both of them, confused.

"He's just mad that he fell into the coffin," Harry said and he laughed with Hermione.

"There were spiders inside!" Ron said and a visible shudder momentarily silenced him. "You know how they are."

"We see them differently, Ron," Hermione pointed out and glanced at the menu in her hand. "You're scared of them and we're not."

"We're sorry we didn't tell you," Harry looked at her apologetically.

"And we weren't even here when… it happened," Ron looked sympathetic when he raised the McLaggen issue again.

Hermione wanted to just hide behind the menu but the two were persistent.

"What happened?" Harry asked. "I though it was going well."

"Too well probably," Ron interrupted and Harry cast a sideways glance at him.

"Hermione, you can cry in front us," Harry said.

Hermione smiled and shook her head as she placed the menu down. "I'm fine."

Though Harry had said it, she would never cry to them about another man.

"Did Zabini beat him up?" Ron asked.

"No," Hermione looked at him, puzzled.

"Good," Ron hit his fist on the table. "I can do it."

Harry held Ron's sleeve tightly and Ron looked at him questioningly.

"You might run out of here," Harry said.

"You shouldn't bother yourselves over this," she told them both, hoping that Ron's temper doesn't get the best of him.

"Who broke up with who?" Ron asked and Harry elbowed him on his ribs. Ron groaned in pain and sat back while Hermione stared back at the menu. Harry and Ron didn't push her to say more about the break-up when she didn't answer Ron's question.

Harry thought of a quick save and said: "James is going to celebrate his second birthday next week. You'll join us right?"

Hermione bit her lips, unable to promise to such with her workload tailing her everywhere she went. "Maybe."

"Try taking a break from work sometime," Ron said and the waitress returned to their table.

"I'll try," Hermione whispered and they all turned to the waitress to order.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione apparated back to the apartment and was surprised to find Blaise leaning on the doorframe, smirking at her.

"You're turning into an owl?" Blaise asked.

"Owl?" Hermione's brows furrowed.

"Your enjoying the night," Blaise pointed out. "It's almost midnight."

"I was out with Harry and Ron," she said and side-stepped him to enter the apartment.

"Oh they're back?" He asked and closed the door.

Hermione nodded and looked up at him. "You waited for me?"

"Oh… no," Blaise glanced back at the closed door. "Draco just left when you arrived."

Hermione's stomach jumped a few times at the mention of his name. "He came to visit you?"

"What else?" He shrugged and walked into the kitchen. "He's on a break, he said, so he's looking for ways to let time pass."

"Why doesn't he go back to work?" She asked, going into her room to change but left the door slightly open so she could hear Blaise.

"He wants to sort out the Pansy issue first," Blaise called out from the kitchen. "Would you like some tea?"

She didn't want tea but she replied: "Yes please!"

Blaise emerged from the kitchen at the same time that Hermione stepped out of her bedroom. She whispered a "thank you" when Blaise gave her a mug.

She smiled at the mug of tea, remembering that it was her who taught Blaise to drink muggle tea. He used to drink tea made out of mandrake root and willow bark and she didn't like the smell that filled the apartment when he brewed it so she introduced muggle tea to him.

"What are you smiling at?" Blaise asked, catching her in the middle of her walk down memory lane.

"Nothing," Hermione whispered and looked up at him. "Anyway, what's with him and Pansy?"

"He doesn't want to tell me," he said and sipped his tea. "A rough patch, he calls it."

"What do you talk about?" Hermione asked, suddenly curious.

If Draco refuses to tell Blaise about Pansy, what do they talk about for hours?

"Random things," his eyes wondered to the wide window as if a replay of their conversations was being showed there. "We talk about the other Slytherins, what happened to them… and you." Blaise gestured a hand towards Hermione that made her almost drop the mug.

"W-why me?" Hermione stuttered, promising to herself that if Draco told Blaise about the time they woke up beside each other, she would hunt Draco and turn him into tea leaves.

"We share an apartment," he pointed out. "He asked how it happened."

She nodded thoughtfully and waited tensely for what else Draco told him.

"That's all that involves you," he said.

Hermione was silent for a while. "How about the other Slytherins?" She asked, hoping that her interest in Draco's statements weren't obvious to Blaise that it was more than just out of curiosity.

"He told most of the stories about them," he said.

Hermione nodded slowly, knowing that for the past years, Blaise was more in contact with her and the past Gryffindors than with his own house.

"What was interesting to me was the one about Millicent Bullstrode," he continued. "She actually became a model for our supposed-rival, _Beliza_."

Hermione almost choked on the hot beverage at that piece of information. "Millicent!? But she's…"

Blaise looked at her when she pursed her lips and didn't continue. He laughed and said: "She had things done. She changed her nose and her lips, they say."

"Men gossip," Hermione mused.

Blaise laughed again. "Is it supposed to be a woman's ability?"

She stifled a laugh and shook her head.

"You should see her now," he said and gazed out the wide window again like he could see Millicent floating outside.

"Stop that," she scolded him. "Keep your fantasies in your room."

Blaise chuckled. "I wasn't thinking of her that way. I was trying to find a way to pull her to pose for our magazine."

"Don't complain to me about bringing my work home," she said indignantly.

"My work is involved in everyday interactions," he pointed out.

"You edit and you act like the boss," she said. "That's all you need to do."

Blaise clicked his tongue. "I _check_ the models as well."

"I don't think it's part of your job to _check_ them on the bed," she said and Blaise laughter filled the apartment. Hermione laughed with him.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

In the middle of that week, Hermione woke up early and tried to cook breakfast for both of them since she noticed Blaise cooking for them for two consecutive days.

Hermione got her fingers seared by the hot pan, dropped an egg on the floor and accidentally added salt to the coffee instead of sugar.

"This is the _one _thing you don't do well," Blaise's voice came from behind her when she dropped the eggshells into the pan.

Hermione chuckled. "I think you better save our breakfast before I use up a week's supply."

He took the pan from her and she went to take a seat, watching him move around the kitchen easily.

"You're amazing," Hermione blurted out before she could stop herself.

Blaise laughed. "It's good to know I amaze you."

"We're talking about cooking," she said firmly.

"I was talking about cooking," he smirked at her and cracked a fresh batch of eggs with one hand.

"Show off," she muttered.

After a while, Blaise placed their breakfast on the table and sat across her.

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

"Next time, don't try to cook," he said and chuckled. "Wake me up."

Hermione frowned and started to eat. "Leave the instructions on how to scramble an egg."

Blaise laughed. "You broke up with McLaggen because he made you cook, didn't you?"

She felt the food freeze in her throat when Blaise mentioned "McLaggen". He looked up when she didn't answer and noticed the look on her face, making him think back to what he said. She swallowed and continued to eat.

"I'm sorry," he began. "That was really tactless."

"You're wrong about that," she said.

_Of course, it was a joke,_ he thought and wondered which of the things he said was wrong.

"_He _broke up with me," she said and nothing more.

"But the cooking part…" Blaise stopped his curiosity and went back to eat.

They finished breakfast in silence. When Hermione stood up to go and change, Blaise didn't say anything. Even when he helped her fit a thick envelope through the mouth of a bag that she magically extended, he didn't say anything.

Blaise didn't talk until Hermione touched the doorknob on her way out.

"Hermione," Blaise called out to stop her.

Hermione looked back at him, noticing his silence since that awkward moment but didn't comment on it. Blaise stood five feet away from her and no one moved farther or closer.

"Clear your schedule for tonight," he said. "Remember the dinner I promised?"

Hermione nodded and smiled.

"And…" he said before she could turn the knob. "I appreciate you waking up early to cook breakfast."

"I tried… but…" Hermione was about to protest.

Blaise placed a finger over his own lips and smiled. "It's the thought that counts."

Hermione smiled and made her way out the door, still smiling when she remembered that she said that statement to him when she gave him a gift on one of his birthdays.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione apparated back to the Ministry after a _short_ trip to the Northern Woods.

When she arrived at the Ministry, she realized that the short became really long. It wasn't the getting there and the getting back that was the problem, it was the task in between. She had spent the whole afternoon in the forest trying to calm a pregnant unicorn.

She was with two other wizards who weren't much of a help since the unicorns preferred a woman's touch. One of them fell and broke his ankle so Hermione had to deal with the unicorn alone while the other attended to the injured.

As a result, Hermione had some white hairs on her robe and she knew she smelled like a beast in the wild. She groaned and walked into her office. Hermione glanced at the wall and eyed the muggle clock on the wall. She cursed and noticed there was an hour left before midnight.

With Blaise in her mind, she grabbed her bag and apparated to their apartment. She slowly opened the door into the apartment and half-wished that Blaise was asleep but she found him in the kitchen, cooking.

_Uh-oh_. She stood at a distance. _Did I upset him?_

"I'm sorry," she whispered and Blaise turned to face her.

When he smiled at her, the more that Hermione felt guilty.

"What creature took my date from me?" He asked with a laughing tone and turned back to his cooking.

Hermione frowned. "Unicorn."

"You could have called," he pointed out and brought out the phone from his pocket to wave it in the air without looking at her. "You have one too."

"I'm really sorry," Hermione said. She didn't want to give him the 'I was out of the network coverage area' excuse though it was true.

"Sit down," he said. "You didn't have dinner yet?"

"Not yet," she admitted and realized she wanted Blaise to get mad and scold her than be nice to her. It was torturing her internally.

"You smell... repulsive," he wrinkled his nose. "Go and take a shower."

Hermione felt her cheeks redden and muttered a "sorry" before she left the kitchen to go and do what he said. She stepped into her room and rushed to bathroom.

After getting rid of the beastly smell, she walked around her room, arranging all the things she messed up every morning. She noticed the red dress on the bed. The guilt pangs she felt in front of Blaise came in one collective blow. She groaned and carried the dress to the kitchen.

"I'm really sorry I missed the dinner date," she said, holding the dress up to her body.

Blaise chuckled. "It's alright. Go and keep that. Wear it when we go out."

Hermione went back to hang the dress in a corner where nothing can harm it. She returned to the kitchen with a frown on her face.

"Here," Blaise laid a plate of food in front of her and sat on the opposite chair. "How was it?"

She looked up at him and didn't say anything since work was the factor that made her miss their dinner together.

"I spent the time waiting for you filling my lack of sleep," he said, trying to soothe the lines of her guilty face. "It doesn't bother me that you didn't show up."

"Still, I'm sorry," she said and started to eat.

"We can reset it," he said. "So don't worry."

He stood up and ruffled her wet hair like greeting a sister. She frowned at the food and watched him walk into his room, closing the door behind him. She didn't know if he was really good in acting or that he really was not upset.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

When Hermione stepped out of her room the next morning, she first noticed the lack of aroma in the air indicating that Blaise was cooking breakfast. She glanced at the kitchen and saw the lights were off. Before she could knock on Blaise's door, he opened it and jumped when he saw her fist up in the air.

"You didn't cook this morning?" Hermione asked.

"I wasn't able to," Blaise said. "I was up all night finishing this."

He held a folder up.

_Work-related._ "Do you want me to make you something?"

"No, I'm alright," he said and smiled. "I have to leave early. Wendy's waiting for me."

Hermione nodded and stepped back to let him pass. He already showered and dressed, she noticed. When he opened the main door, Hermione ran after him.

"When's our dinner date?" Hermione asked.

Blaise stared at her for a while. "Why not tomorrow evening?"

Hermione nodded and let him close the door behind him.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

The next day, Hermione had resolved that what happened that night would never happen again. She was hoping that she could make it up to Blaise by being prepared before he got home. She cleared the clutter of papers on her table and slinged her bag over her shoulder.

"You're leaving so soon?" Ginny was about to enter Hermione's office but she opened the door before she could.

"Yes," Hermione said curtly.

"Why?" Ginny stopped Hermione from walking past her.

"Can't I leave early for a change?" She turned to Ginny, who stood there blinking at her.

"You have a date?" Ginny asked. "McLaggen?"

Hermione shook her head and sighed. "With Blaise."

She apparated out of the Ministry before Ginny could question her further. She arrived in front of the door of their apartment, noticing no light flooding out of the bottom of the main door. She was home early and she smiled at this fact.

She opened the door and went straight to her bedroom to take a long hot bath. She felt her sore shoulders relax as she let time pass. She got out of the tub almost an hour later and changed into the red dress that Blaise gave her and fixed her hair up. She went over to the mirror to check herself. She noticed the lack of color on her face so she applied some gloss on her lips. She smiled at her reflection when she was satisfied. She grabbed her red purse and went to wait on the couch.

She saw the _Premier_ magazines scattered on their coffee table so Hermione took one and scanned for Blaise's name in the articles' by-line. She knew that Blaise wrote a few articles but she never read any of them. In fact, she never really read the magazines except the times when Blaise shows her a new one and she stares at the moving cover picture of either celebrity wizards or witches.

Hermione knew that Blaise enjoyed working and whenever she didn't enjoy working, she envied him. She somehow felt she should be doing something else but she could not imagine her department existing without her. Not that she was irreplaceable but still…

There was someone knocking on the door.

Hermione's head shot up. With furrowed eyebrows, she stood up and opened the main door.

"Why didn't you –" Hermione's question ('why didn't you just open the door?') was cut short when she realized that it wasn't Blaise Zabini standing in front of her.

"Good evening, Ms. Granger," Draco Malfoy greeted her with an amused expression.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

_**A/N: **_Tell me what you think, please _**review**_!

I'm _sorry_ this chapter took some time to exist.

During the writing process, I _seared my fingers_ when I gripped a hot bottle of oil so my fingers were sore for days then I continued to type with one hand (and not my dominant hand at that) so it really took time.

During the editing, I _slipped on our garage floor_ while I was washing the car so I had bruises on one side of my body which took my mind from writing for a day or so.

Then when the week was nearing its end, I had to deal with my new professors. Of course, I have to behave during the first days of school.

It's a weird week. So, that's it. _**Thanks for waiting!**_

_**SJ**__,_ thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. (*laughs*)

*_Premier _is the magazine that Blaise works for and _Beliza _is their so called rival.

**_Beliza_: I derived this from the Italian word of beauty.


	5. One Date

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 5**

_**One Date**_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, quickly recovering from a moment of surprise.

"I'm here to deliver a message from Blaise," Draco said, the amusement from his expression was still there.

"Will he be late?" She asked; she was slightly hopeful that Blaise would still take her out though Draco Malfoy's presence was confirmation enough that he wasn't going to show up.

"He can't make it," he said. "He's too busy."

"Oh" was all she could say as she stepped back in and was about to close the door but Draco pushed it open.

"Let me take his place," he suggested. "What a waste it would be if you'll just change out of _that_."

Draco was smirking at her and eyeing the red dress that she was wearing. Hermione glanced down at her tube dress that revealed half of her legs; too much to reveal to Draco Malfoy.

"I-I'll just stay home," she said and moved to close the door again.

He stopped it with an outstretched hand and stepped inside without invitation. He closed the door for her and leaned against it.

"Really, Granger," he said. "I'm paying for everything."

Hermione glared at him. "I'm not worried about paying."

"I'm not –"

"What is it with you and Blaise? I know I'm not as rich as you," she said, irritated. She opened her mouth to continue her outburst but she noticed Draco smirking at her. "What!?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You're upset."

"I'm not!" She protested but she noticed how she carried the conversation earlier and she started to think she really was. She wasn't upset because Blaise wasn't there; she was more upset that she couldn't blame Blaise because she did this to him a few nights ago.

"Blaise is really busy," he said. "He didn't want to waste your schedule that you freed for him so he called me to take you out."

"H-he called you?" Hermione looked up at him.

"I'm here on time and you're all dressed up," Draco pointed out. "Why not spend this night with me?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and said: "I remember spending a few minutes with you and I woke up the next day beside you."

"Did you consider the fact that we were drunk?" He asked and shrugged as he added: "Besides, nothing happened."

"I _know_ that," she said pointedly and crossed her arms over her chest.

They stared at each other in silence. Draco sensed her contemplating on his offer; he just needed to give a tiny push…

"Do you want to waste that dress?" He raised an eyebrow.

After a moment of silence, her arms went to her hips and said: "A few conditions."

"I'll let you be the boss tonight," he said, crossing his arms over his chest with a look of consideration on his face. Hermione enjoyed the feeling of hearing that from Draco; it gave her temporary control over him.

"One," she held one finger up. "No one gets drunk."

"So, are we allowed a few glasses?" He asked.

"One or two," she said when she realized she would be having dinner with him. She needed to be a bit lax to stand his presence. "Two. You will not insult me for being a… a mud - muggleborn."

It was hard to get 'mudblood' out of her mouth and she hated to hear it from his mouth. Draco nodded slightly, looking like a businessman dealing with a business partner.

"Three. This dress stays on," she used both hands to emphasize it; following the curves that the dress patterned.

Draco chuckled at the last remark and smirked. "I'm not even dreaming of seeing what's beneath it."

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione pulled her arm out of the fold of Draco's elbows as soon as they arrived on the spot that Draco intended to be in.

"Where are we?" She asked and looked up at the brick wall.

He shrugged and walked on, slowing down only when he noticed her walking with difficulty in her high heels. She didn't complain though, hoping to not be seen as incapable of carrying out the task of wearing the outfit she had on. She felt uncomfortable in heels and she knew that if she was with Blaise, he'd choose the easiest way to travel that would give her minimal or no discomfort at all.

They arrived in front of an excessively decorated entrance and Hermione was thankful that Blaise chose the right dress for the place.

"Do you have a reservation?" The maitre d' greeted them rather coldly. He was a tall and lanky old man with half of his hair gray in color.

"Malfoy," Draco said with the same level of frost.

The maitre d' seemed to jump at the sound of his name and smiled warmly. "Good evening, Sir Malfoy."

Draco moved his head slightly and looked as if he was disinterested.

"Follow me," the maitre d' moved to guide them to their table eagerly. When the maitre d' was going to pull the chair for Hermione but Draco waved his hand for him to move and helped Hermione with her seat.

"What would you be having, sir?" He asked and handed a menu to Draco.

After a brief pause, the maitre d' turned to Hermione. "Ms. Parkinson, I assume?"

Hermione was startled by his question and all she could do was shake her head mutely.

"Ms. _Granger_," Draco said through clenched teeth.

The maitre d' realized his mistake and his eyes widened slightly as he stared at Hermione for a while before saying: "I'll bring you something to drink."

The maitre d' walked away in a hurry and Draco didn't relax even when he was out of sight. Hermione felt like a third wheel all of a sudden; the mistress who was hated by the people who knew the lover.

"Don't think about it," Draco whispered as he hid his face partially behind the menu.

Hermione looked down at the table and didn't move a muscle since the mention of Pansy's name. When the drink that the old man promised arrived (after being delivered by a waiter), she gulped and thought that she would probably break the first condition that she had set.

The waiter poured them each a glass and left without a word, probably warned about the awkward air that surrounded them. Hermione drank her first glass hastily without rational thinking. Draco watched her consume the glass of alcohol in one lift.

He cleared his throat and said: "Let's order."

Another waiter arrived, listing everything that Draco enumerated. The waiter offered to pour another glass of alcohol for Hermione and she nodded with a smile.

"Would you really want to be drunk while you're with me?" Draco asked when she held the glass to her lips.

"The more I should be," Hermione said after a dramatic pause and gulping a large amount of the alcohol.

"If you have anything to say, just say it," he said.

"I didn't know I was here to be a substitute," she said with a false sense of confidence given by the glass of alcohol she drank earlier.

Draco just looked at her as she tried to busy herself with the table napkin just so she wouldn't look up to meet his eyes.

"I feel… well… I feel like I should have just stayed home," she said and held her glass, but this time, to sip from it.

They went through the course of meals in heavy silence and wandering gazes. The maitre d' never returned to their table to serve them the whole evening.

"The conditions," Draco reminded her and stopped her from pouring more alcohol into her glass. "That's your _third_ glass."

"I set the conditions," Hermione said. "I break them."

Draco let go of her hand and watched as more of the wine poured into her glass. Hermione continued until she drank her fifth glass and she was feeling off-balanced already.

When Hermione noticed the dishes flying around, she realized they were in a non-muggle restaurant.

_That's why they know Pansy_, she chuckled as she rested her chin on her hands. _It appears that they've never met her_.

"Don't be immature," Draco's voice broke into her thoughts and she looked at him, confused by his statement.

"How did I become immature?" Hermione asked, her head tipped to one side.

"You're trying to speed through the night," he pointed out.

"If I _could_, I _will_," she drawled and moved to pour her sixth glass. Draco grabbed it from her hand and poured it into his glass.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Who's immature now?"

Draco returned her gaze and didn't say anything.

For the rest of meal, the two had been grabbing the bottles of wine from each other until they realized that they had consumed more than three bottles already and Hermione probably drank much more than Draco. Draco raised a hand and called for the nearest waiter to ask for the bill.

"Do you need me to pay for my half?" Hermione asked.

"You can't afford even a quarter of it," Draco said as he scanned the bill. He computed the prices with a sluggish mind due to the amount of alcohol they consumed.

Hermione glared at him and pulled the bill out of his hands causing it to rip into two pieces. She smiled at the half she was holding and left it on the table. She stood up and walked out of the doors, feeling triumphant over a game of tug-of-war, even though Draco Malfoy wasn't really playing.

Draco left a bag that contained seventy galleons and stood up to go after Hermione. The maitre d' was standing beside the door and he visibly jumped when he saw Draco rushing out. He opened the door for him and Draco turned to ask him: "Where did she go?"

"Down the path," the maitre d' replied and bowed slightly. "Thank you and come back again."

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Draco caught up with Hermione walking down the street on her unstable feet. She swayed dangerously to each side as she took steps forward. A car sped past them and he grabbed her upper arm to pull her to the side roughly.

"What is wrong with you?" Draco hissed to her ear.

"Nothing," she said nonchalantly but her eyes were unfocused.

"You could have gotten killed if you fell."

"It didn't happen," she shrugged and leaned on Draco's chest to push him to the wall.

"You're drunk!" He stated the obvious.

"And you're not?" She asked, looking up at him as she pressed her body against him.

"Let's go," Draco said authoritatively and pulled her to stand up straight.

"Are you taking me home Malfoy?" Hermione looked up at him with her droopy eyelids.

"Yes," he said firmly and tried to clear his head as he tried to picture Blaise and Hermione's apartment in his head.

"I don't want to get splinched," she said and fell into Draco's arms when she wasn't able to stand on her own. Draco's head cleared up momentarily at her statement.

"We're walking to my place," he said and started walking ahead of her after he pushed her to stand up on her own. He looked back at her when she stopped walking and stood there staring at her feet.

"Any problem?" He asked.

"My feet hurts," she admitted, briefly glancing at him.

"Why did you even wear them?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know they'd hurt like this," she said and went back to staring at her feet, her body swaying slightly.

"Walk it off," Draco said and walked on, listening to her if she was following.

Hermione, out of her clear mind, walked on and struggled with every step though the pain caused by her shoes were minimal due to the alcohol in her system. She followed Draco's back and wrapped an arm around Draco's upper arm to support her walking. Draco was pulled down a few times when Hermione lost her balance but he did not say a word, probably too tired to argue.

Draco was thankful that the restaurant he chose was a convenient number of blocks away from the building where he lived. He walked into the lobby, trying to make himself seem sober. He glanced at the guard that watched them but didn't say anything.

As soon as they got into his unit, Hermione let go of him and walked clumsily to the open bedroom door.

_She's going to make me sleep on the couch_, Draco thought bitterly and glanced at his black leather couch.

Draco walked into his bedroom and found Hermione on his large bed, positioned like Cleopatra waiting for her lover.

"May I join you in bed?" Hermione said flirtatiously.

Draco snorted and chuckled at her suggestion. "You can have it."

He took his pillow and his blanket and walked out of the room. When he got past the door, he froze when he heard her say…

"Is it because I'm not Pansy Parkinson?" She asked, slurring her words but with a tinge of bitterness.

Draco turned back to her and threw the pillow and blanket back on the bed. He moved towards her, determined to prove a point, and pulled her off his bed. With one swift motion, his hand pulled her to stand up with their face inches apart.

"When you went out with me for dinner, I assumed you knew about Pansy and I," Draco whispered every word with emphasis. "I didn't think you would feel like you own me."

"Of course I knew," Hermione said. "And don't I own you tonight? …leave Pansy at the back of your mind."

Draco snorted. "I would prefer her over you."

"Hm," she looked up at him with her heavy-looking eyelids. It seemed like she would collapse anytime. "I'd prefer a goblin… over… _you_." She poked a finger on his chest to emphasize her statement.

"And McLaggen?" Draco asked, keeping his grip on her wrist tight to keep her from falling back.

Hermione laughed lightly. "He's worse than a goblin," she said. "But I still prefer him over you."

At this, Draco pulled her forcefully to close the small distance between them and kissed her full on the mouth, being as rough as he could be but his kisses softened when he realized Hermione was reacting opposite to what he expected: she was kissing him back.

Draco's eyebrows furrowed but he did not break the kiss, enjoying Hermione's response to him. He smirked into the kiss as his fingers searched for the zipper of the dress. He slid the zipper slowly down the side of Hermione's dress and let it slide down to the floor. Hermione fell back on the bed. Draco thought she had fallen asleep _again_ (like their last encounter) but he felt Hermione's foot between his legs.

Lying on his bed with nothing but her lingerie on, Hermione pulled her legs up and shoved her heels in front of his face making him step back slightly.

"Do you mind taking those off for me?" She asked while keeping an intent gaze on Draco.

Draco looked down at Hermione's other foot that was threatening to kick him between his legs anytime that he'd do something to offend her. He unclasped the tiny hooks of Hermione's sandal and dropped it on the floor. Cautiously, he held her other foot and removed the sandal off her feet as well.

"Come on," Hermione reached up and tugged on Draco's coat, pulling him onto his bed, positioned on top of her. Hermione pulled him down to kiss him but he pulled away.

"You're drunk," he said and got off her to stand up.

"And?" Hermione tilted her head to one side as she supported herself up on her elbows.

"Are you aware that the third condition was just broken?" Draco asked, straightening his coat and tried to avoid sweeping a glance below Hermione's neck.

"Don't waste it," she said coyly and slid her foot up his leg slowly.

Draco stepped back once and Hermione, as if strengthened by intoxication, pulled him back down on the bed and kissed him. As her hands pushed his coat off his shoulders, he couldn't grab onto a thought to make himself pull away.

Hermione moved her hands to his shirt and unbuttoned it, as she continued to kiss him, enticing him to kiss her back. When she managed to get his shirt and his belt on the floor, he felt his body react in a way he didn't want to when he knew she wasn't sane enough for the indecency they were going to commit.

"You're going to regret this," he whispered, breaking the kiss momentarily. He wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or to her. He moved an inch away from her.

She slowly snaked a hand in front of his bare chest and up to the back of his neck. "You made me the boss for tonight, remember?" She leered at him.

His body reacted to her touch and what she said was enough for him to give in to her. He leaned down to kiss her again and she smiled as she kissed him back.

(_**A/N: I rated this fanfic 'M' for a reason. **If mature scenes bother you and/or if you are not of legal age… please skip the following until the part where my next note appears__._)

Draco changed their position and made her stay on top him. Hermione sat up, straddling him, and moved her fingers to unbutton and unzip his pants. He kicked his shoes off and she took his pants off with his help. She resumed to kissing him and changed their position again, returning him on top of her.

Draco didn't leave her lips, remembering what happened the last time. He kept her preoccupied as he unhooked her underwear. He reached for her knickers to take it off.

It took some time to undress each other when the alcohol was muddling their senses. Without anything separating them anymore, they both moved with urgency.

Draco broke their kiss but kept their eye-lock as he positioned himself between her legs. He continued kissing her when she moaned.

He moved at a steady rhythm and he felt her nails digging into the skin of his back. He groaned at the pain it caused and at the same time felt the yearning inside him that he never thought he would feel when he was with Hermione.

He kissed her neck and let his tongue trail her skin back to her lips. She moaned and threw her head back.

And moments later, Draco felt Hermione arch her back slightly as she gave in to the wave of pleasure that tightened her muscles and loosened her senses, and Draco followed a second after.

(_**A/N: End of the scene. **For those who are bothered by mature scenes and/or are not of legal age… you may continue reading from here__._)

Draco released her and fell back on the empty space beside Hermione. Sweat matted his blond hair on his face and he took in large amounts of air to slow his erratic breathing. He glanced at Hermione, whose eyes were closed. He felt sleep take him over as he listened to her breathing slow down as well.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

It was something impeding her breathing that woke Hermione from her sleep. Every breath she took was warm and heavy. She opened her eyes and saw the black silk covering her face.

She noticed three things: one, the headache coupled with the desire to expel the contents of her stomach; two, a man's perfume emanating from the silk covering her face; and three, the sound of deep and steady breathing beside her.

Hermione remembered the night before and her date with Blaise – or _supposedly_, with Blaise. She pulled the silk off her face and the light that filled the room made her squint. She turned her head slowly and found Draco Malfoy sleeping beside her. She moved her eyes an inch down Draco's neck and she knew right away that he didn't have any clothes on.

A movie played in her head; the show was about her and Draco being intimate on the bed. She blinked a few times and passed a hand over her chest.

_Nothing_.

She bit her lip. She wasn't wearing anything as well. She slowly sat up and felt the silk blanket slide off. Before she could catch it, it fell on Draco's bare body. She froze and waited for him to stir but nothing happened. She breathed and got off the bed, making sure not to disturb the sleeping figure and wake him up.

Hermione saw the red dress and her sandals on the floor. She picked it up and searched for the rest of her clothes. Her knickers were on the bed and she blushed when she went around the bed to retrieve it. She turned in place to search for her brassiere but the room distracted her.

Draco's room was… _excessive_.

Silk sheets covered the bed. Even his blanket and pillowcases were silk. The curtains were dark green in color and were drawn to the sides, giving her a view of the outside. Low buildings and busy streets filled with people in a rush. She was about to move towards the window, covering her front with the red dress, but Draco moved and the soft sound of him repositioning on the bed made her turn around.

Hermione thought he had already awakened but she felt her muscles relax when she saw him with his eyes closed. She saw her white brassiere sticking out of the space that Draco occupied. She cringed at the thought of not being able to retrieve it. She opened her purse that she found near the door and searched for her wand. She cursed in her head when she remembered leaving it in the apartment. She never really needed it whenever she went out with Blaise.

She slipped her clothes on and carried her sandals as she walked out the door. She glanced at her underwear that he was lying on and really wished she had her wand with her at that time. She sighed and walked out to the main door, making the least noise possible.

Hermione looked around the hallways that she passed. She tried apparating back to her apartment but she couldn't so she slipped her sandals on and walked to the elevators. Staring up at the golden numbers on the wall, she found out that Draco was on the thirty-sixth floor.

Hermione pressed the down button of the elevator and waited. She realized she wasn't too used to muggle living anymore. She passed her fingers through her hair when she saw her reflection on the shiny metal doors. She glanced at the numbers, counting in her head, and breathed out when the doors slid open in front of her.

_Serpent Tower_, she thought when she noticed the large snake tile-art of the lobby. She knew the building by name but it was her first time to be inside it. She walked from the elevators to the main entrance and probably imagined the eyes that followed her.

She went out and searched for an empty alley then she apparated back to the apartment she shared with Blaise. She was exhausted and avoiding the thoughts (involving Draco and her stupidity) that knocked on her head was the only way of keeping herself sane in front of Blaise. She concentrated on her aching head and reached for the doorknob, which was locked.

Hermione reluctantly knocked on the door.

No answer. No sounds of movement.

Hermione looked around and bit her lip. _How will I open this? _She wanted to get into the apartment before Blaise got home. He probably slept in his office, considering that he was busy as Draco said last night. They never really brought keys to the apartment with them since they both have their wands; and last night, she forgot to bring hers when she initially thought she was going out for dinner with Blaise. Their keys were probably scattered somewhere in the apartment that they had forgotten about it a long time ago.

_Why did I even suggest that? _Hermione cursed as she thought of the idea she proposed to Blaise to make their apartment a zone that made them unable to apparate in the apartment unit – very much like Draco's place.

Hermione sighed and apparated back to the alley near the Serpent Tower. She leaned against the brick wall and considered her new idea for a while. She walked back into the building and walked straight to the elevators but not before the guard blocked her way.

"Where are you headed to, ma'am?" He asked.

"Thirty-sixth floor," she replied, recovering from the surprise of being blocked.

"Are you here to visit someone, ma'am?"

"…Draco Malfoy," she said after a moment of hesitation.

The guard kept a serious expression on and took notice of her red dress and high heels. He nodded and stepped aside to let her pass. Hermione noticed the slight hint of surprise in his eyes. She went on to ride the elevator up to Draco's floor.

Hermione turned the doorknob and slapped her palm to her forehead when she realized she locked it on her way out. She reluctantly knocked on the door thinking of the person who would get her out of her dilemma. She saw the button beside the door and pressed it, hoping it would wake Draco. She rested her forehead on the door, wishing she did things differently.

The door swung open and she almost fell on her face if she didn't catch herself.

Draco, exhausted and annoyed, raised an eyebrow at her. He had his trousers on but he wasn't wearing anything to cover him above his waist.

"May I borrow your wand?" Hermione asked nervously.

Draco walked back in and Hermione wondered what made him so compliant. She didn't know if she should follow him inside so she stayed outside and shifted her weight from one foot to another. He came back later with two fingers holding her brassiere and the other with his wand.

"You don't want this back?" He asked with a sleepy smirk on his face.

She huffed and glared at him. She reached out to grab it but he pulled it out of her range.

"Give that to me!" She said and tried to reach for it again.

He blocked her with his body and threw it into his apartment. She stared at her flying underwear and noticed him smirking. She looked down and noticed what he was smirking at: her body was pressed up against his – a result of their game.

Hermione stepped back right away and tried to side-step him to retrieve her underwear.

"Isn't Blaise home?" Draco teased, blocking her again; he knew why she returned to borrow his wand.

Hermione glared at him.

"Let me change and I'll take you home," he said and closed the door.

She turned the doorknob to try and open it even though she knew it was locked. She kicked the door and hurt herself doing so. She groaned and leaned against the wall in frustration as she clutched her head when she felt the headache that made her so sensitive.

Draco came out a moment later, fully-dressed and Hermione pouted, envying him.

"You could shower here, if you want," he said.

She just stared at him and waited for him to tail his offer with a remark about how she looked like.

"Let's go," he said, smirking, and pushed her to walk on with his hand on the small of her back. She walked on sluggishly but did not argue anymore.

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy," the guard greeted them with a wide-eyed expression when they walked together to the entrance.

Hermione felt Draco's hand leave her back and when she glanced at him, his jaw was clenched. They walked on out and she felt like throwing her sandals away when she almost tripped before they could reach the empty alley. She led him there and grabbed Draco's wrist suddenly to pull him with her through apparition.

Hermione heard him curse when they arrived in front of the apartment door. She smiled, self-satisfied, before she turned to face him.

"May I borrow your wand now?" She asked and held a palm out. He flicked his wand and unlocked the apartment door while he glared at her.

Hermione walked in, trying not to make a noise. She looked around and the apartment seemed empty. She went back to the main door to close it (to keep Draco from entering) but already found Draco sitting on the couch.

She frowned and banged the door loudly before walking into her bedroom and locking it. She went straight to her table to get her wand and placed a charm on the door so that Draco wouldn't be able to get into her room. She sighed and went into the bathroom to take a bath. She concentrated on the bubbles and the smell of the soap, still avoiding the thoughts that threatened to throw her off-balance.

Hermione got out of her room dressed in a plain shirt and sweatpants that did not flatter her body in any way. Draco glanced at her and narrowed his eyes.

"It's good that Blaise cares about what you wear," Draco said and grimaced at her clothes.

Hermione just glared at him and went into the kitchen to search for a remedy for her hangover. She went through the cupboards and found none. She cursed and gripped the sink to keep herself steady, feeling like she'd throw up.

Draco heard Hermione run past him and into her bedroom as he scanned the _Premier _magazines on the coffee table. He heard the sickening sound of her throwing up. He furrowed his eyebrows and laid the magazine down to go and check on her. Though he didn't smell anything… yet, he covered his nose with his sleeve and leaned against the open door of the bathroom.

Hermione turned to him, looking like she ran a mile after a night with no sleep. She wasn't as attractive as he remembered her to be when he found her sitting on the bathroom floor after vomiting into the toilet. He raised an eyebrow, not saying a word. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and flushed the toilet while she moved to stand up. She washed her hands and walked past Draco, ignoring him.

Draco followed her into the kitchen, watching her move around to search for something then settled with a glass of water. He stared at her questioningly when she went back to searching the cupboards.

"What are you looking for?" Draco asked.

"Something to make you disappear," Hermione replied without turning to him.

He raised an eyebrow and walked to her.

She glanced at him and saw him glaring. "Help me find something for the hangover."

Draco didn't say anything as he helped her search but Hermione looked into everything he checked as well, as if making sure that he didn't mess up the search for a hangover remedy.

"Doesn't your head hurt?" Hermione asked.

"I drank a potion before we left my place," he shrugged.

Hermione gave up with a sigh and went to the couch to sit. He sat beside her and she remembered Blaise could arrive home any minute.

"What are you still doing here?" Hermione asked him with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm going to spend the weekend with you," Draco said.

Hermione groaned and shielded her eyes with her arm. "Leave me alone, Malfoy."

"You can't work in that state," he pointed out.

"I'll be fine by Monday," she said.

"You can say you're not," he said. "Then come with me on a short vacation."

Hermione turned her head to him, putting her arm down. "Go away."

"Do you mind if I tell Blaise about last night?" Draco asked.

"You dare!" Hermione sat upright and felt her head throb making her sit back again to stare at the ceiling.

He stifled a laugh, finally finding an edge in blackmailing.

"Why are you so afraid that Blaise will find out?" Draco asked. "You and him… are not... right?"

She groaned. "Blaise knows I can control myself better than that."

"You lost control last night?" He smirked at her, inching closer.

"I don't remember a thing," she lied, hoping she could wound his ego.

"You were screaming," he said to exaggerate the truth.

"In disappointment," she continued and laughed.

He put on a serious expression. "You were screaming McLaggen's name."

Hermione flinched at this and looked away from him.

Draco noticed her blush. "You know how insulting it is?" He was pushing it; he wanted to see how she would react to it.

She didn't answer the question, deeming it to be rhetorical.

"It's _very _insulting to be compared to a person worse than a goblin," he continued, knowing now that she didn't remember much of last night…

Hermione remembered saying that to him. She felt her headache drown in the feeling of guilt inside her.

"But it's more insulting to hear you say his name when it was me making you scream," he said.

She wished she could just disappear, feeling like an arse already. "Sorry."

His ears tingled at the sound of injustice; he made her say sorry for a false accusation. He could almost see her melting in shame but he couldn't tell her the truth now that she apologized.

Hermione stood up and Draco felt the guilt edge into his head. She walked to the kitchen and busied herself by cooking. She prepared a plate of breakfast for herself and sat on the tile-top counter. Draco showed up in the kitchen when she was eating.

"You didn't make some for me?" He asked and added sarcastically. "You sure know how to handle your guests."

"You invited yourself in," she pointed out and continued to eat. "I'm doing you a favor by not cooking for you."

"You add Amortentia to it?" He asked with a smirk.

"A poison," she corrected him.

"What potion will you use?"

"It's deadly enough as it is," she said with a laugh.

Draco just stared at her then moved to take the fork and plate away from her, curious of what she meant. She fell off the counter while reaching out to take it from him, breaking the plate and scattering the food when it fell on the floor.

Draco stifled a laugh as she groaned and cleaned the mess.

"Let's go out for lunch?" He offered.

"No thanks," she said. "I'll wait for Blaise."

Draco clenched his teeth and he found it convenient that she didn't look up from the floor as she gathered the broken pieces of the plate.

"Leave now Malfoy," she added as she gathered the broken pieces.

She watched him walk away through her eyelashes, barely moving her head an inch up. She heard him close the door with a loud bang that made her blink a few times. She was expecting him to say he didn't want to leave or at least, say a few words before he did.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione slept through the day and woke up when the sky was dark. Everything was dark – almost pitch black if it weren't for the minimal amount of light from the wide window.

"Blaise?" She called out to the air and went to turn the light on.

No answer and she wasn't expecting one since she noticed the things around her weren't moved from the place she left them before she went to sleep. She went to Blaise's room and found it dark and empty.

Hermione worried that something happened to him so she went to her room and tried calling him on his hand phone. Blaise didn't answer and the more she worried.

Before she started thinking of going out to search for him, she heard the heavy knocks on the door before it opened. She got out of her bedroom just in time to see Blaise stumble in through the door.

"Where have you been?" She asked, suddenly alert.

"Tired," Blaise looked up at her with eyes half-closed. "Let's talk later."

"Have you been drinking?" She raised an eyebrow; for the past years, she never saw Blaise drunk – it was as if he never drank at all even though he did.

"No," he said weakly and walked slowly towards his room. "I need sleep."

Hermione noticed the dark shadows under his eyes and followed him as he walked to his bedroom slowly. She frowned and wondered what happened to him as she opened his bedroom door for him.

Blaise flopped on his bed and closed his eyes. Hermione took his shoes off before heading out for the door and she was surprised to find Draco Malfoy leaning against the frame of Blaise's bedroom door.

"He's home," Draco said and smirked.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**_A/N: _**This is quite a long chapter. What do you think? Review and tell me. :)

Thank you to all the reviewers for the past chapters! Hugs to you all!

* * *

*_Seventy galleons (roughly converted) = 210 pounds or 420 US dollars._

_**Amortentia: love potion_


	6. Incompatibility

**_A/N: _**This chapter was stuck before I could post it up. I had to deal with school before going back to writing. Thanks for being patient! :)

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 6**

**_Incompatibility_**

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

"How did you get in here!?" Hermione stared at Draco, wide-eyed.

"Magic," Draco said with a laugh.

Hermione noticed the smell of alcohol when she stepped out of Blaise's bedroom. She drew her wand from her pocket and pointed it at the door to prevent anyone else from coming in. Hermione huffed and pushed Draco away until the main door, kicking Blaise's bedroom door closed along the way.

"Go home Malfoy," Hermione said and left him there as she made her way to the kitchen.

"My head hurts," Draco said. "I had too much."

"Have you forgotten where you live?" She shouted from the kitchen.

"No," he said. "Your apartment is just very near the bar."

"You can't just come in here like that," she went to the couch and found Draco lying on it.

"Is this how you treat a person who brings your flat mate home?" He said, with an arm over his eyes.

"Thank you for that," she said coldly and drank the cup of water she was holding. "You can go home now."

Draco sat up and let Hermione sit on the space his feet occupied seconds ago.

Hermione looked into Draco's unfocused eyes. "You should go home."

"Aren't you going to take me home?" He asked, looking very tired and smelling very much like alcohol.

She stood up and offered a hand to him. He stopped himself from smirking and stood up to hold her outstretched hand. She pulled him out the door and pushed him out the last few inches.

"Go home," she said before closing the door behind him.

She walked away from the door and heard him say: "Don't you want to make sure I get home safe?"

"You can find your own way back," she said bitterly, remembering that just yesterday, she woke up in his place.

There was a moment of silence and Hermione thought Draco had left.

Draco was leaning against the wall beside the door and smirking at the ceiling when he said: "I can leave half of my body out here."

Draco adjusted his position to hear if he had convinced Hermione and swept the smirk off of his face before Hermione opened the door.

"You're taking me home now?" He asked and slurred his words for effect.

"Why don't you just sleep here for tonight and go home in the morning?" She suggested.

"I want to go home," he said and watched her contemplate on the idea. He walked a few steps away from her to obtain a reaction.

"Malfoy," Hermione called out. "Don't be stubborn. Sleep here for tonight."

Draco shook his head and made it seem like a difficult task. "I'll walk. I won't apparate."

"It's not a block away!" She pointed out and grabbed one of Draco's arms.

Hermione felt the instant pull and saw her surroundings swirl as her breathing was hampered. As soon as the discomfort ended, she was in an empty alley with Draco Malfoy smirking at her.

"You git," she glared at him. "You can take care of yourself."

As she apparated, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. When she got back in front of the main door of the apartment she shared with Blaise, she saw Draco standing there with her.

"We can keep on going back and forth until we both get tired," he said.

"Stop playing Malfoy," she said and walked away from him but not before he grabbed her again and apparated to the alley.

"Malfoy!" She turned around abruptly to face him and in the process, she accidentally hit her head on his face.

Draco stumbled away from her while clutching his nose. "Aah! Da huh!"

Hermione stifled a laugh and snorted.

"Eehna fanee," he groaned.

She chuckled and reached out to check the damage. He waved her hand away and glared at her.

"Let me fix it Malfoy," she said as she followed him out of the alley and into the building where Draco lived.

"Good evening sir," the guard on duty greeted him and eyed the man running away from the chuckling woman while holding his face.

Hermione rode with him on the lift and forced his hands off his face. Draco continued glaring but did not say anything.

"It's bleeding," she drew her wand out and he flinched away from her, covering his nose again. "I'm just going to fix it!"

Draco reluctantly gave in when she pulled his hand off his face. Hermione pointed her wand at his nose and laughed when the bleeding stopped. They stopped on Draco's floor and she didn't make a move to follow him out. He ignored her and stepped out of the lift without another word.

"You're sober enough now," Hermione said before the door slid close and the lift descended. She couldn't stop herself from grinning even when she walked out the building and the guard just watched her.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

"Inspiration," Blaise shrugged with his back turned to Hermione as he cooked their breakfast.

"_That's _what kept you from coming home?" Hermione said in disbelief.

Blaise turned on his spot to look at her and say: "It's my job Hermione."

"Next time, don't set a date if you're not sure," she crossed her arms across her chest.

"You talk like you showed up for our first plan of a dinner date," he said. "...when you completely forgot about it."

"You didn't show up either!" She said, searching her mind for a convincing retort.

"At least I sent Malfoy to go with you," he said.

Hermione gulped when that night she spent with Draco flashbacked in her mind. "I can't tell Ginny to go to you. Harry would have killed me."

Blaise laughed lightly. "You reckon Pansy won't kill me then?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she was thankful that Blaise wasn't facing her anymore. She never really thought of that: _Pansy and Draco is a couple._

Blaise sighed and Hermione thought he noticed but the time she snapped out of the thoughts of Draco and Pansy, he turned with two plates of food. "I'm sorry."

For a brief moment, she thought he was able to hear her thoughts of Draco and Pansy but she remembered they were talking about the dinner date. "We're even."

Blaise nodded and started to eat, motioning Hermione to start eating as well. "Let's reset the date again."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "No. Nothing good happens when it's planned."

"Spontaneity works for you?" He asked.

She nodded after thinking for a while.

"That's a change," he chuckled. "You never want anything to come by surprise."

She gulped at this remark and almost whimpered when she remembered losing self control with Draco Malfoy. The whole night with him was full of surprises and when she woke up beside him. Blaise was right: _she didn't want anything to come by surprise._

_What if it was planned?_

Her eyes widened the moment she thought of it and she moved back from the table as a sudden image of a sober Draco and very sober Hermione walked into her head talking about going through the night with some intimacy.

"Is something wrong?" Blaise looked up, worried and surprised. "You don't like how it tastes?"

"Huh?" Hermione blinked like she was awakened from sleep. When she noticed the expression on his face, she avoided questions on her strange reaction by saying something completely untrue: "It's rather bland."

Blaise looked down at his food and took a bite. When his eyebrows furrowed, he stood up and took the salt shaker from the countertop. "It's probably your tongue. Here."

Hermione took the salt shaker and reluctantly added salt to the perfect-tasting meal. "Mood swing?"

"Women," he whispered under his breath and shook his head as he continued to eat.

Hermione laughed.

A knock on the door made them both stop and look at each other.

"I'll get it," Hermione swallowed her food and stood up. She straightened her shirt and went to open the door with a questioning look on her face since she expected seeing a neighbor or some other muggle disturbance.

The blond hair, the smirk and the aura that the person released made her choke on air. "What are you doing here?" She hissed at Draco Malfoy.

"I'm here for Blaise," Draco said loud enough for Blaise to hear in the kitchen.

"In here!" Blaise shouted from inside and Hermione glared at Draco as she closed the door after he stepped inside.

"Was I interrupting your peaceful breakfast?" Draco asked and sat beside Blaise after Hermione took her place across them.

"Did you eat?" Blaise asked.

"No, not yet," Draco shrugged.

"I'll make some," Blaise stood up to cook for Draco, leaving Hermione with the smirking git. "Thanks for apparating me home last night."

"I was drunk, it wasn't easy," Draco said and shrugged.

Hermione smiled at her food remembering that she accidentally broke Draco's nose last night.

"How was your dinner date with each other?" Blaise asked.

"Fine," Hermione said quickly but Blaise didn't seem to notice.

"She was…" Draco began and teased Hermione by pausing, making her almost jump across the table to kick him unconscious. "Beautiful."

"You should see her when she comes home from work," Blaise teased and laughed, not turning her head to look at them, making him unaware of the silent war behind him.

"I look like a banshee," Hermione said and waved her hand to end the topic there. "I know, I know."

"Spending this Sunday in the apartment?" Draco asked.

Hermione scowled at the idea of Draco having a conversation with her but she said: "Yes."

"Blaise and I plan to go out," he said. "You should come with us."

"No thanks," she said petulantly and straightened her back. "I have work to do."

"Work!?" Draco leaned back as if he was surprised to hear it. "On a Sunday!?"

Blaise chuckled, his back still turned to them as he cooked.

"You need a life," Draco said and shook his head.

"I say that to her a lot of times," Blaise said and laid a plate of food in front of Draco. "She never listens."

"You both shouldn't mind if I have a life or not," she said and slapped her palm on the table. "I'm sorry I'm not rich."

"What?" Draco stared at her.

"Hermione," Blaise said her name as if pleading her to stop saying that. "If there's someone in this room who deserves a holiday, it's you."

"But I can't afford it."

"You can," Blaise said.

"I can't," Hermione held her palms out as if showing that her bank vault contained a relatively lesser amount compared to the two men in front of her.

"Not if you let me handle it," Blaise offered and smiled.

"No!"

Blaise shrugged and huffed, giving up.

"That's all you can do?" Draco raised an eyebrow at Blaise.

"I'm tired of this argument," Blaise admitted and Hermione realized that Blaise had been pushing this offer to her since her break-up with McLaggen but even with that thought, she wasn't going to give in.

"Hermione," Draco looked at her with a seemingly real display of honesty.

At the sound of her name, she almost jumped back. It was a new sound to her ears.

"Take a break for just a few days," Draco said and smirked. "I can go with you if you want me to."

Blaise turned his head to Draco.

"No," she said firmly; after pushing her plate an inch away from her, she half stood. "Thank you for the offer… but I don't need a break."

She hurried away from the kitchen and breathed when she got to her room for she had gone through a situation where she thought she could be swayed easily with charms and a few words.

Hermione left the two of them to let them have their own conversation and went to change so she could start her reading for the day.

Later, she was sitting on the couch with the book of _Beasts _in her hand when…

"That's sad," Draco whispered into Hermione's ear.

Hermione jumped and turned her head to Draco, finding their faces a few centimeters apart.

"Leave me alone," she managed to say even when her breathing pattern changed abruptly. She did not expect Draco to sneak up on her like that – not when Blaise was around. Hermione turned her eyes towards Blaise's open bedroom door.

Draco chuckled. "He's in the bathroom."

Hermione glared at him. She had thought Blaise would keep Draco busy while he was in the apartment. Draco did not pull away from their position and Hermione noticed so she stood up and transferred to the single chair.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked to keep her head from 'forbidden' thoughts – a word she used for anything associated with Draco.

"To Wendy's place," he said.

Hermione frowned, not knowing where Wendy's place is. "Why?"

"To pick her up, then we'll be on our way to France," he said nonchalantly and went around the long couch to sit on the space nearest to Hermione.

"Where in France?"

"If I tell you, will you go?"

Hermione shook her head. "No."

"Then forget it. You'll just be envying us," he shrugged and smirked.

Hermione pouted, putting the book down on her lap.

Draco reached a hand out and touched her cheek lightly. "Will you still stay?"

"Yes," Hermione said with a firm expression – the opposite of the emotions swimming around in her.

He sighed and leaned back, watching her intently. They both weren't given a chance to talk again when Blaise stepped out of the bedroom announcing that they had to leave soon.

"Take care," Hermione said when Draco and Blaise were at the door.

"I'll be back by the middle of the week," Blaise said to her with a smile and kissed Hermione lightly on the cheek.

"You're not married to her," Draco raised an eyebrow.

"She's like my sister," Blaise hit Draco's arm lightly with the back of his palm. "Or are you jealous?"

"Why would I be?" Draco smirked.

Blaise shrugged and walked out of the door to apparate. Before Draco apparated, he turned his head towards Hermione. "Should I be?"

Hermione glared at him when she realized he was referring to physical encounters. Draco was still laughing before he apparated out of the apartment to follow Blaise.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

"You gave her a special goodbye?" Blaise asked with an eyebrow raised when Draco appeared beside him.

"Of course not," Draco said. "Did you tell her where we're going?"

Blaise thought for a while. "She didn't ask."

Draco laughed.

"What did you tell her?" Blaise asked.

"France. You, me and Wendy," Draco said with amusement shining in his eyes.

"She believed you?"

"She didn't ask… so, what do you reckon?" Draco laughed again.

"You're not even leaving London," Blaise said and shook his head as he walked away from Draco.

"I was trying to get her to go on a vacation," Draco justified and stopped laughing. "If she said yes, I would have booked for the two of us right away."

Blaise turned to Draco. "What about Pansy?"

"What about her?"

"Do you fancy Hermione?" Blaise asked.

"That would _never _happen," Draco said with a smirk.

"It is possible."

"_Im_possible," Draco said firmly as if to correct Blaise's statement.

Blaise shrugged. "You'll be surprised by all the possibilities."

"It's just a game," Draco shrugged.

"Me living with her started out as a game," Blaise said with a smirk and stopped outside of a tea shop.

"I will _never_ live with her."

Blaise chuckled. "You'll pay me a thousand galleons when you end up living with her."

"Don't worry, you'll never get that thousand for that condition," Draco said with confidence.

Blaise shook his head slightly and opened the door of the tea shop. Draco followed him and immediately spotted the woman who stood out in the crowd: Pansy Parkinson.

"Are we late?" Blaise asked and sat down on Pansy's right while Draco sat on the left.

Draco noticed the murmurs around them and gazes shot towards their direction but ignored it, remembering the fact that this was a wizarding café and being with Pansy and Blaise at the same time was sure to catch attention.

"How have you been, Draco?" Pansy asked, showing the least interest in him.

She didn't use any term of endearment, Draco noticed. "How have _you_ been?"

She regarded him through her eyelashes and a small smile seemed to pull her lips, exactly the way the magazines posed her. Draco held back anything that would reveal the deal between them, worrying that Blaise might find out.

"Is this the first time you both see each other in two weeks?" Blaise asked, not quite grasping the exchange of words between the two.

"Exactly two weeks, Blaise," Pansy said to him with a smile. "Tell me, has he been a good boy?"

Blaise nodded. "Quite angelic."

"Shut up Zabini," Draco said when he noticed Blaise teasing.

Blaise laughed and Pansy giggled. She was keeping up a nice image for the hidden camera somewhere in the café. Draco was aware of it too and he wanted to warn Blaise but maybe he knew of it too.

"When will you pose for my magazine as an exclusive Pansy?" Blaise asked.

Pansy chuckled. "That depends on _your _magazine."

Blaise flashed a lopsided smile. "Yes, it will soon be mine."

"…by marrying the daughter of the owner?" Draco said.

Blaise frowned. "No."

"You haven't settled down yet Blaise?" Pansy placed a hand on Blaise's arm.

"Not yet."

"You sound like you have plans to," she said, supporting her chin with her arm.

"It's possible," Blaise said. "It's not so bad living with a woman."

"Living? Not marrying?" Pansy asked.

"He's referring to Granger," Draco said and Pansy turned to look at him.

"Hermione Granger?"

"Yes," Blaise said. "I share an apartment with her."

"You're getting married to her?" Pansy asked and folded her arms on the table.

"No, we just share an apartment."

"Interesting," Pansy said and placed a finger on her cheek as she turned to look at Draco with contemplating eyes.

"I'm leaving for France this afternoon. Would you like to come along? Draco will certainly join us if you're there too," Blaise said, oblivious to the silent conversation between Draco and Pansy.

"Oh dear no," Pansy said. "I can't go. I have to attend to the modeling contracts lined up for me. Are you going alone?"

"I'm going with Wendy Starlin," he said with a shrug.

"Starlin," Pansy repeated the name, recalling where she heard it from.

"The owner of Premier," Blaise helped jog her memory. "Wendy is the daughter."

"I see," she said with a light laugh. "You haven't changed much Blaise."

"I don't think you've changed much yourself," Blaise said with a smile.

"You should have kept in touch," Pansy said and pouted.

"I didn't realize that I lost contact with the Slytherins from years ago," he said.

"You were too busy with the Gryffindors?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"We're past that stage, Draco," she said at the same time that Draco called for a waitress.

He ordered for tea for him and Blaise before turning back to Pansy. "Blaise certainly outgrew us too."

"Draco," she said his name as if scolding an impolite young boy.

"Lighten up," Draco said to her, which was the wrong thing to say when he saw her straighten her back and glare at him.

"Don't mind him being grumpy Pansy. He probably misses you," Blaise said with a grin on his face.

"I don't," Draco replied quickly.

"After all, his carnal desires aren't sated with you being like this," Blaise said and laughed.

"Draco, you can ask any woman out there for a good lay," Pansy said with one side of her mouth pulled up as if challenging him.

"I don't need your permission for that," Draco said grimly.

"I take it you've… sated your desires then?" Pansy raised an eyebrow.

"Would you really like an answer to that?" Draco raised an eyebrow to match hers and smirked.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione buried herself in work-related matters, seeing that there was nothing else she needed to devote her time with.

That Monday, Hermione went to check on a case near a muggle community regarding a 'devil dog'. She spoke to the owner (a young witch) and scolded her for not locking the Crup (the devil dog) in its cage.

For two consecutive days, the dog was reported again and again to her Department at the Ministry until she decided to confiscate the creature. She carried it personally to bring it to the facility that handled stray cats, owls and toads but they refused to take the Crup in. She realized that this was the first time she ever confiscated a Crup so she didn't know what to do with it. She couldn't free it just anywhere or return it to the young witch, it would be a disturbance to the muggle community.

Hermione went to ask the wizards working under _Regulation and Control of Beasts Office_ to ask where she could leave the 'out of control' Crup.

"Let us take care of it, Ms. Granger," one of the wizards said.

"Thank you," she said and was about to hand it to them when he asked: "Where do you keep Crups?"

The wizard glanced at one of his colleagues, who gave a slight nod. He turned to Hermione: "The number of births is much greater than the number of deaths in Crups."

Hermione snatched the whimpering Crup away from the wizard and her lips thinned as she glared at them.

"We don't put them to sleep pointlessly, ma'am," the wizard said and didn't make a move to take the Crup away from her, in case she would hit him in anger.

"You will _not_ put this one to sleep," Hermione said firmly. Though she was aware of the grounds of putting a beast to eternal sleep, she couldn't let them do it to the Crup that she took from the young witch – whether or not it was a proper decision.

None of the wizards in front of her spoke. Hermione, being the head of the department, could not be argued against. She could see in the eyes of the wizard in front of her that he would report her to the Minister of Magic, Percival Weasley.

Though she was aware of this, she knew that the Minister would not bother himself with her department when he was faced with more pressing issues from the other departments, such as the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Department of International Magical Cooperation… and, after all, Percy knew that Hermione would handle her department well on her own that's why he chose her to run it.

As she walked away from them, hugging the Crup to her chest, she heard the murmurs but ignored it and decided to keep the Crup until she could think of the right place for it.

When she arrived in her office, clutching the animal, she noticed Ginny sitting on Hermione's chair while staring out the window dreamily.

"Hi Gin," Hermione greeted her and placed the animal on the floor.

"What are you doing with that?" Ginny asked and stood up. She carried the creature in her arms and comforted the whimpering animal with her palms on its back.

"They were going to execute it," Hermione said, wishing Ginny would share her mind in the matter. "…if it's really out of control," she added, to give justice to the Beast Division.

"Look at him," Ginny giggled and turned to talk to the Crup: "You wouldn't hurt anyone."

Hermione smiled at her friend and was glad that Ginny was not disappointed with her decision so she added: "I'm keeping him for a while."

Ginny looked at her. "Blaise doesn't mind having a Crup in your apartment?"

"He's in France with some people," she said.

"Oh," Ginny said, slightly distracted as she held the animal that stopped whimpering.

"Is the birthday party on for tomorrow?" Hermione asked, fixing her table scattered with things she was currently working on.

"Yes, you will be there, right?" Ginny asked, putting the Crup down to face Hermione fully. Ginny was given the task to make Hermione promise to show up at James' party tomorrow.

"_She needs a break," Harry said to Ginny one time._

…and Ginny agreed with him on that. She noticed Hermione had been constantly out of her office, mostly out of town to tend to animals that Ginny had no patience dealing with that's why she didn't join Hermione in her department. With Ginny's nature, it wasn't a surprise she landed a job in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Office of Improper Use of Magic.

"Maybe," Hermione said, unsure if she wanted her workload to pile and the young boy wouldn't remember her not attending his second birthday anyway.

_Oh Merlin_, Hermione kicked herself mentally. _What was I thinking?_

James was a darling young boy and Hermione couldn't be an insensitive arse to skip his birthday for work and besides, Ginny and Harry would probably be sore with her if she didn't go.

"Hermione," Ginny said.

"I'll go, don't worry," Hermione said before Ginny could continue with a pleading speech.

Ginny beamed, praising herself for the sudden 'yes' she pulled from Hermione.

_I'm good at this_, she thought as she smiled at Hermione.

"What should I get for him?" Hermione asked, searching her mind for the perfect gift for a two year old boy.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione bought James a number of muggle picture books.

"Kiss me, li'l one," Hermione offered her cheek to the two-year old hugging the gift from his aunt and tilted his head to let his lips touch Hermione's cheek.

"Happy Birthday," Hermione smiled at James and hugged him.

"Thank you," James said as if he's been practicing it all night with his mother.

_Leave it to Hermione to buy something intellectual_, Ginny thought as she watched her son giggling with Ron and the pictures in the book that didn't move.

"You look great," Ginny, noticing the red dress and not-so-high heels, said to Hermione.

"Thanks," Hermione said, slightly fidgeting. "Blaise gave it to me."

Ginny smiled and pulled her friend to the dining room. Harry and Ginny's house was slightly crowded… The Weasleys, Luna, and some people from the Ministry that Hermione only recognized by face were there.

Ginny and Hermione stayed in the kitchen with Mrs. Weasley, who was trying to help with the cooking but her daughter refused and kept telling her that they hired someone to cook.

"Oh, where's Blaise?" Mrs. Weasley asked Hermione when she gave up on trying to cook.

If Blaise was probably in town, Ginny and Harry would have invited him over as well and as a friend, he would have attended with Hermione.

"He's in France with a colleague," Hermione said.

"On vacation?" Mrs. Weasley's eyebrows met.

"No, ma'am," Hermione said. "He's working."

Mrs. Weasley nodded. She was quite fond of Blaise, Hermione had noticed this. During a party, Blaise would be with Ron's mother. His charms worked well with women… _of all ages_, Hermione thought.

"Do you like Blaise, my dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a soft expression that Hermione found herself blinking at her, open-mouthed in surprise by the sudden question.

"Y-yes, I like him," Hermione began and quickly defended. "He's like a brother to me."

Ginny was stifling a laugh as she stood beside Hermione.

"Is there no chance you'd be Mrs. Zabini someday?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking innocently curious.

Ginny wasn't able to control her laughter at that one.

"Ginevra," Mrs. Weasley said pointedly.

"Sorry," Ginny muttered and straightened up, looking serious.

Hermione was shocked. Where did the woman get such ideas? It was as if Mrs. Weasley had been thinking of it for some time and decided to voice it out only now. Hermione was thankful Blaise wasn't there to hear it.

"I live with him but that doesn't mean…" Hermione's voice trailed off when Harry entered the kitchen.

"I need milk, Gin," Harry said and bounced his gaze on the three women when they all turned to look at him.

"Milk?" Ginny asked while the three had different ideas on what his statement implied.

"For James," Harry said, narrowing his eyes.

"I left one bottle in our room," Ginny said, smiling when she noticed how their statements sounded.

Hermione nudged Ginny and Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat when Harry left. She muttered something about seeing her grandson and left the kitchen.

Ginny and Hermione blinked at Mrs. Weasley's retreating back.

"Why did she ask me that?" Hermione whispered to Ginny as soon as Mrs. Weasley was out of earshot.

Ginny giggled. "It's a nice idea though. Your single, he's always single."

"He's not single," Hermione said, still in a whisper.

"He's _not_?" It was Ginny's turn to blink at her in disbelief.

"He's in France with his girlfriend."

"But you said he was with his colleague," Ginny defended.

"His girlfriend is a designer."

"Oh," Ginny placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "You like him though, don't you?"

"Ginny!" Hermione stared at her friend in exasperation.

Ginny giggled and took two bottles of beer from the cooler beside the dining table. She offered one to Hermione, who drank it like a deprived alcoholic, drowning all the weird ideas filling her head.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Blaise entered Hermione's room one morning and she thought he was just there to tell her he was home. She looked up at him through sleep-laden eyes and groaned.

"Why did you bring a Crup home?" was Blaise's greeting.

"Work," Hermione said automatically and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Tell me," Blaise said and sat on the empty side of her bed. "Did you like our couch?"

Hermione's eyes widened at that statement and immediately realized what Blaise meant by that. She jumped off the bed and went out of her room to see the extent of the damage.

The couch was… well, still a couch but it had missing chunks and rips on the side while its content was spilling out, scattering the floor with bits of foam.

Hermione groaned and buried her face in her hands, wishing that the couch was just a product of her imagination. She went back into her room to take her wand and pointed it at the couch.

Nothing happened. Hermione knew it wouldn't work; she took a leap of believing that a simple repairing spell would save the couch.

"Magical dog," Blaise clicked his tongue, "magical damages."

Hermione turned to Blaise. "I'm sorry."

Blaise chuckled. "It was you who bought that couch."

Hermione groaned and looked back at the couch, suddenly noticing the forked tail sticking out behind it. Hermione went nearer and groaned when she found the Crup sleeping contentedly beside the couch.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione woke up from her nap that evening to Blaise cursing and shouting. She got out of bed and went to see what happened. She saw him holding the Crup with one hand and pacing in anger as if he could throw the dog across the room.

"What are you doing!?" Hermione scolded him, rushing to grab the whimpering creature.

"That _bloody _beast ate half the dress that Wendy made!" Blaise said and Hermione saw how irritated he was.

"You don't have to be so mad," she said, stroking the dog.

Blaise looked like a kettle ready to whistle at its boiling point. He grunted and cursed. "What in bloody hell is that thing even doing here!?"

"It's my job!" Hermione defended and stood up straighter.

Blaise held up a tattered light blue silk dress but with what was left of it, it looked like a rag for wiping the floor. "This is my job too Hermione! I have to release this in a week!"

"It's not his fault!" Hermione hugged the Crup tighter.

Blaise threw the dress on the couch in frustration, wishing the soft fabric could make a louder noise as he walked out of the apartment, avoiding the kitchen altogether.

Hermione frowned at the closed door and looked down at the dog that was shaking slightly.

It was late in the evening when Blaise came back through the door with a poker face on.

"Hey," Hermione greeted Blaise.

"Good evening," he said and made his way to his bedroom without glancing at her.

Hermione glanced at the clock and was about to ask Blaise if he wanted to have dinner with her outside but when he came out, he was carrying a leather bag that seemed to be full of clothes.

"…where are you going?" She asked, realizing that they won't be having dinner together tonight.

"I'm not staying here for a while," Blaise said monotonously and was about to step out the door.

"I'm sorry Blaise," Hermione whispered.

Blaise turned to her and forced a small smile. "I just don't think our jobs are influencing us the right way now."

"I'm sorry but I couldn't abandon him like that," she said, her guilt was making her speak rapidly. "Besides, someone might pick him up and think he's tame."

Blaise nodded to interrupt her rambling. "I understand Hermione."

She smiled at him pleadingly as if to say that saying it wasn't enough.

"But," Blaise opened the door and stepped outside, "I don't think living together is a great idea right now."

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**_A/N: _**Let me do the plotting, writing and worrying, :) All you have to do is sit back, wait, and _review, review, review_! :)

I post a small part of the next chapter in my profile, :)

* * *

*Crup = resembles a Jack Russell terrier (cute dog, really) except for the forked tail; extremely loyal to wizards/witches and ferocious to muggles

**There was a part where Malfoy was clutching his nose...

let me translate:

"Da huh!" = "That hurt!"

"Eehna fanee." = "It's not funny."


	7. Restart

**_A/N:_** Sorry about the major delay. My summer vacation was too eventful that I couldn't find time to write and when I had free time, my imagination just wasn't up to it.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**Chapter 7**

_**Restart**_

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione didn't eat that evening. She stared at the devil dog rolling on the carpeted floor as she sat on the tattered couch.

_Why does it feel like he broke up with me?_

She laughed at herself, knowing that the guilt was seeping in every corner of her body. Even in that state, she could not bring herself to hate the creature that destroyed the couch and drove her flat mate away. She positioned herself to lie down on the couch at the same time that she heard the knock from the door.

Hermione jumped off the couch immediately, thinking that it was Blaise coming back. She opened the door and stared at the person standing there.

"This is getting to be a hobby of yours," Hermione said to Draco and raised an eyebrow.

"I came to see Blaise," Draco said with a smirk on his face.

Hermione's expression changed at the mention of Blaise's name. "He left."

"Do you know where he went?" Draco asked and moved closer to the open door.

Hermione instinctively closed the door partially when he moved. "No."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Is that all?" She asked.

"Yes," he said that resulted to Hermione closing the door to his face.

Hermione turned away from the door and heard Draco's muffled voice. "I came to see you."

She froze on her spot and tried to think of what he meant by that. She opened the door and made sure that she was glaring at him.

"Did you have dinner?"

"No, I'm not hungry," Hermione said at the same time that her stomach protested.

Draco chuckled when she blushed. "I'll be back."

He disapparated and Hermione blinked at the air. _What's with him?_

She kept the door a few inches open as she went into the kitchen to find herself a drink. She found a bottle of Blaise's cold beer.

"Hah!" Hermione said to the bottle as if they were playing hide and seek. She took it out and closed the fridge. She popped it open and went to sit on the tattered couch, staring at the dog that was now murdering a magazine it took from the coffee table.

She sat on the couch and watched the Crup while drinking.

When its growling irked her, she stood up and walked to the devil dog. Hermione huffed and pulled the magazine away from the Crup. "Give that to me."

The Crup growled but let it go when Hermione tugged harder. She noticed the cover had familiar names printed on it: _Pansy Malfoy?_

Her eyebrows furrowed and opened it to the gossip column where a moving picture of Pansy was smiling and posing.

At that moment, Draco knocked and stepped into the apartment with a bag of food. He noticed Hermione's bushy hair behind the couch. Besides her hair, he noticed the shabby couch. He closed the door and walked towards her.

"Are you that mad Granger?" Draco said as he inspected the couch. "You killed your couch."

Hermione was still crouched beside the coffee table when she turned to him. She stood up and tilted her head towards the dog sitting on the floor. "He did it."

Draco shook his head and offered the paper bag to Hermione. She looked down at her hands, the bottle of beer and the magazine was in her hand. Draco took the hint and raised an eyebrow as he went into the kitchen with the bag in hand. He sat on the dining table and laid out what he bought.

Hermione sat across him, putting the magazine on the empty space on top of the table. Draco glanced at it and quickly recognized his name on it. He reached out and opened it, only then discovering that the cover flashed _Pansy Malfoy_. He flipped through the pages, thinking that the issue probably contained his recent proposal to her.

"You two are married?" Hermione asked and set the beer bottle down on the table.

"No," Draco's eyebrows were furrowed when he flipped back to the cover. "This was months ago."

She nodded. "And?"

Draco looked up at her, quite aware that he almost told Hermione of his proposal. He shrugged to hide his thoughts. "It was a rumor."

"From the truth?" She asked.

"No, just that. A rumor," he said. "Any gossip column will spread the best of it."

"You're not married to her then?"

Draco smirked. "What are you worried about?"

"What's with you and her now?"

"She's competitive," he said with a slightly distant tone.

"Were you cheating on her?" Hermione asked the questions that popped into her mind.

"No," he looked at her. "I'm not cheating on her now either."

Hermione chuckled at that but she didn't want to question what he considered 'cheating'.

"You're having a rough patch, is all?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

Draco shrugged. "Aren't you going to offer me one?" He asked and eyed the bottle of beer.

"It's the last one," Hermione slid it to him and he raised an eyebrow as she bit off the sandwich she took from the table.

"You look like you've just been dumped," Draco said and took the bottle to drink from it.

Hermione watched him but stopped herself from dropping her jaw. She didn't expect Draco Malfoy to drink from a bottle that anyone drank from – let alone a mudblood's bottle. "Blaise walked out. Should I throw a party?"

"Blaise leaving is just right," Draco said and Hermione glared at him. "If you were the one who walked out, where would you go?"

"Ginny, Harry, Ron," she replied quickly. "I have friends Malfoy."

Draco drank from the bottle again. "Don't look at me like that. You said this is the last one."

Hermione stopped herself from gaping. "You're drinking from _my _bottle."

"You offered it, didn't you?" He raised an eyebrow then jumped to the other topic. "Blaise has friends as well."

"I didn't think you'd drink from a bottle that I dirtied," she said, ignoring the bit about Blaise.

Draco chuckled. "You seduced me. You kissed me. You slept with me."

Hermione felt her face redden with both embarrassment and annoyance. "You don't have to be so frank about it."

"It happened, Granger," he said, "and you fuss over me drinking from the same bottle?"

Hermione considered it for a while then cleared her throat to try and chase away the red patches on her cheeks. The one night with him was supposed to be the last time she ever saw him. She tried her best to avoid him but it seemed she just couldn't get away from him. She took the bottle from him and took a swig from it.

"Speeding through the night again Granger?"

"The night is unbearably slow," she said and inspected the almost empty bottle.

"I have ideas on how to speed it up," Draco leered at her.

Hermione leaned back, taking the hint. "You're the one in need, go find someone else."

Draco shrugged.

"You would be my one regret," she said.

He looked at her and felt his head throb at her statement. "You sure know how to hurt someone."

"It was one night Malfoy," she held up her forefinger. "One night! …and you keep bothering me for it."

Draco chuckled. "It didn't occur to me that you're tired of me."

"You're the one who needs a life," she said. "You're the one without a job."

"I have a job," he said. "I just want to rest."

Hermione snorted.

"Would you mind going with me on a holiday?"

She snorted again. "I can't afford one."

"I'll take care of everything. All you have to do is go with me," he said.

"Why don't you just take Pansy?"

"She won't go," he shrugged. With a blank expression, he added, as if to convince himself: "Our current situation and her contracts… she won't go."

"And what makes you think I'll go?" Hermione said. "…given _our _current situation and _my _department."

"Blaise told me you have capable hands in your department."

"I can't leave them," she said and continued to eat to avoid saying more.

Draco smirked. "Do I make you nervous?"

"No," Hermione said with food muffling her protest.

Draco laughed at her. "You wouldn't attract any man if you eat like that."

Hermione glared at him and took another bite as if challenging his statement. She swallowed and consumed the contents of the beer while ignoring his laughter.

"Here, have some," Hermione pushed a chunk of sandwich into Draco's mouth while he was laughing.

He stopped laughing instantly as he closed his mouth. He chewed and swallowed and turned to glare at Hermione when he found out the beer bottle was empty. It was Hermione's turn to laugh, making sure that her hand was covering her mouth to avoid retaliation.

"That's childish," Draco said bitterly.

Hermione laughed louder at that and stood up to get water from the tap. Draco reached out to receive the glass but she teased him by moving away and drinking from it.

"Get your own," she said and chuckled.

He glared at her and the only trace of amusement left was a grin on her face when she offered him a new glass. He accepted and drank from it without breaking the glare he sent her. She smiled at him with a sense of self-satisfaction.

It wasn't long before Draco left. When Hermione flicked her wand to clear the mess on the table, Draco watched her for a while before standing up.

"I have to get back before Blaise gets suspicious," Draco said.

Hermione looked at him, not knowing what to question first: Blaise or the suspicion.

"I'll tell him you enjoy being alone," he said and moved to walk out the door.

"He's staying with you?" Hermione asked.

"For now, he says," he shrugged.

"He told you to come and check on me?" She asked.

"No," he said. "I offered to come and check on you."

Hermione stared at him and tried to ignore the cold and hot air battling behind her. She remembered Blaise and frowned.

"Tell him… I don't want him to move out," she said apologetically. "I'll find a home for the Crup by tomorrow and he can come home tomorrow night."

Draco just looked at her then turned to leave.

"Malfoy," she called before he could apparate. "Thank you."

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Draco arrived in his unit and found Blaise arguing on the phone about thread and cloth. He walked to his kitchen and opened a bottle of beer – a result of not drinking enough.

Blaise ended the call and walked into the kitchen. Draco offered a bottle to him, which Blaise quickly accepted.

"How is she?" Blaise asked and Draco delayed his reply by drinking from the bottle.

"She's fine," Draco said. "She didn't eat dinner so I bought her some."

Blaise chuckled. "I knew that would be one of the things she'd deprive herself of when I leave."

Draco just looked at him, making sure his face didn't show any interest.

"She hates cooking," Blaise explained.

Draco nodded.

"Is the dog still there?" Blaise asked.

"Yes," Draco said. "The sofa's still there too."

"Did she say anything about getting rid of the Crup?" Blaise asked.

Draco posed as if to think. "No, we didn't get to talk about that."

"What were your subjects of interest then?"

"A holiday," Draco shrugged.

"She didn't accept," Blaise said, feeling sure of it.

Draco chuckled.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Blaise said.

"You're going back?" Draco asked.

"I'm going back to France. I need to meet a few people."

"For the upcoming launch?" Draco asked, feeling his throat warm up.

Blaise nodded. "You'll get me off your couch by next week."

"I don't mind having someone sleep on the couch once in a while."

Blaise laughed. "You're flat makes it apparent that you never have guests over."

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have an extra room," Blaise pointed out.

"I don't think Pansy needs to stay in another room," Draco shrugged. _Even Hermione ended up sleeping on my bed_.

Blaise chuckled. "You need a life."

Draco looked at Blaise, his mind swimming when he remembered Hermione said the same thing to him.

"You're too wrapped up with Pansy," Blaise said.

"I can have a couple of strippers over right now if you want," Draco smirked.

Blaise shook his head and drank. "I have work tomorrow."

Draco laughed. "You sound like Granger."

"I get a good lay more often than her," Blaise said.

Draco waited for Blaise to continue.

"McLaggen was probably her last," Blaise said, stared at the floor thoughtfully then added: "If she even slept with him."

Draco shook his head and smirked at the ceiling, knowing that McLaggen wasn't the last. "You need to find her a man."

"If she'd let me, I would."

Draco's head turned to Blaise abruptly, with thoughts of Blaise and Hermione together. "You _would_?"

Blaise laughed. "I meant I would find her one."

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Ginny noticed Hermione partly dragging herself to the lifts as soon as she apparated into the Ministry lobby. Hermione was frowning at the Crup in her arms. Ginny chased her, while slipping into her robe (with the Ministry's seal).

"Hermione," she called to stop her from walking further.

Hermione turned to Ginny with a weak smile. "Good morning."

Ginny chuckled. "It doesn't look like it."

"I have to get rid of this," Hermione shifted the Crup in her arms.

"He's a handful?"

Hermione nodded. "He drove Blaise away."

"Really?" Ginny reached out to take the Crup from her. She accompanied Hermione to the lift and carried the Crup to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

"Don't you have work to do?" Hermione asked when they closed the door to her office.

"No one will die if I spend a few minutes with you," Ginny said with a smile.

Hermione forced a smile on too.

Ginny left after Hermione told her the story of the torn couch and the tattered silk dress. She conveniently skipped the part about Draco Malfoy showing up in her apartment a few hours after Blaise left.

Not so long after Ginny left, Harry and Ron barged into her office, looking sympathetic.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Hermione clutched her head. "It's not like I broke up with him!"

Jane Merna, one of the witches who worked in Hermione's department, was tailing Harry and Ron to inform Hermione of the latest call. When the two blokes opened the door with their looks of pity, Jane jumped at Hermione's outburst and turned around to delay the information she was about to relay.

Hermione groaned. "Jane."

Jane paled at the sound of her name and turned back to face Hermione. "Y-yes?"

"Say what you need to say," Hermione said, ignoring Harry and Ron, who both walked into her office without the invitation to do so.

Jane opened her mouth and hesitated but decided to tell her anyway: "Miss Lovegood requested for assistance in Pinewood."

"Alright, I'll go," Hermione said and Jane left, closing the door behind her.

"Hermione," Harry began.

Hermione held a hand up and narrowed her eyes. "If this is about Blaise, I'm fine."

"Is it permanent?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," she replied and leaned back on her chair, watching the two sit across her and meddle with her things on her table.

"Have you eaten?" Ron asked, which made Harry elbow him on the ribs.

Though Hermione should take it as an offending statement that the two did not believe she could take care of herself in terms of food, she found it quite funny that this was what they were worried about. She laughed before she could stop herself.

"I can live without someone cooking for me," Hermione said and stopped laughing.

Harry and Ron didn't find her reaction amusing.

"Really now," she said and placed both her palms on the table. "I have to go before Luna jumps to another forest."

"She'll be in London for a week," Ron said. "Would you like to join us for dinner tonight?"

"Wouldn't that be intruding your date?" Hermione asked with her brows furrowed.

"Harry and Ginny will be there too," Ron said.

Hermione flashed a sheepish smile, calculating how awkward it would be to be with two couples.

"We'll all go as friends," Harry said when he saw her doubting expression.

Hermione sighed. "We'll see."

"Hermione," Ron pleaded. "This will assure us that you really eat."

Hermione chuckled and nodded. "If nothing comes up, I'll go. I have to find a place for that Crup."

Harry and Ron turned to face the Crup, lying peacefully in one corner.

"I have to go see Luna," Hermione stood up and moved towards the door. "Oh, kindly watch the dog for me."

Hermione walked out of her office before they could protest. She smiled, self-satisfied, and apparated to Pinewood.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

"Is it not of muggle nature?" Luna asked her as they inspected the creature in the cage. It was a monkey with small feathered wings on its back.

"No," Hermione watched the creature jump inside the cage. "It's probably a cross-breed?"

"You should name it, Hermione," Luna said and handed the cage to the team of wizards with them.

"You found it," Hermione said. "You name it."

Luna shrugged and moved to hold Hermione's arm as they walked away from the group fussing over Luna's latest discovery.

"Let's escape now," Luna said.

Hermione glanced at Luna to see if she was joking but found her face set seriously. "Why?"

"Ronald told me about dinner with you," Luna smiled with a distant look on her face.

"But –"

Before Hermione could finish her excuse about guiding the team back to the Ministry, Luna apparated them both back to the Ministry, right in front of the fountain where Ron, Harry and Ginny were waiting for them.

Ron reached out and hugged Luna.

"Luna," Hermione blinked at them. "We left them in Pinewood!"

"They know their own way back," Luna said and shrugged.

"Hermione," Ginny reached out and stopped Hermione before she could apparate back. "They're not children."

Hermione frowned. She was looking for an excuse to not go with them but she didn't admit it.

"Here, I took your bag and cloak," Ginny handed her the things. Before Hermione could reach out to take it, Ginny smiled and pulled it away form her playfully. "Let's have dinner first."

"Let's go," Ron placed an arm around Hermione's shoulder and tailed Luna as they trooped out of the Ministry.

"What happened to the dog?" Hermione asked, suddenly remembering it.

"We sent it to the Beast Division," Harry said.

Hermione looked like she was ready to sprint back to the Ministry but Ron held on to her. "They won't execute it."

"It's staying there for a while," Harry said. "Ginny thinks its best to return it to the owner."

Hermione frowned, seeing that her friends had meddled with her job just to get her to go with them. "Wouldn't he cause trouble again?"

Harry grinned at her, looking like a child with a secret that he wanted to spill. "It's not a _he_, Hermione. The Crup is a _she_."

"No, it's a _he_," Hermione said, remembering the young witch telling her that.

"You never checked?" Harry said.

"I didn't think it was necessary," Hermione defended.

"The Crup is pregnant," Ginny said.

Hermione stared at Harry and Ginny with her mouth slightly open. That simple fact would explain her trouble with caring for it for the past days. The whimpering and the refusing to eat what she offered the Crup food… it only made sense at that moment.

"The blokes down in the Beast Division promised to take care of her over the weekend," Harry assured Hermione.

"Let's celebrate life then," Luna said dreamily.

Hermione allowed herself to be pushed to walk with them towards _Delicatezza_, the trio's favorite restaurant. The group took a table near the glass window.

Hermione didn't feel awkward around the couples since her friends arranged that the ladies would sit next to each other while the men sat across them. Hermione noticed that they were all trying to coax her into relaxing and enjoying the night. Harry even ordered a bottle of Firewhiskey and Luna refused hers.

"Have you guys heard that Lavender's pregnant?" Ron said to them.

"Really?" Ginny clapped her hands excitedly. "It's about time."

"Way to go, Neville," Harry said to the air and chuckled.

It started out like that and Hermione eventually warmed up to them, joining in on the stories of everyday life. After quite some time of laughter and stories, Hermione excused herself to go to the washroom. She faced the mirror and washed her hands and her face. Hermione sighed and smiled at her reflection; giving in to one night of relaxation with friends wasn't so bad.

She fixed her clothes and walked back to their table. Harry, Ginny, Luna and Ron were unusually quiet that Hermione had a sense that they were talking about her. She crossed her arms across her chest.

"What did I miss?" Hermione eyed each of them but all she got was widened eyes and an exchange of glances. "Did I do something wrong?" Hermione's tone softened. She was worried that she offended one of them. She recalled their conversation before she went to the washroom and couldn't remember anything offensive.

Luna looked at Hermione directly, not in the same dreamy way that she always did, she really was looking at her. A flicker of something in Luna's eyes made Hermione glance at the crowd and there she understood what the unusual behavior was about: Cormac McLaggen.

McLaggen was laughing, talking and smiling then Hermione noticed the long-legged lady beside him. She was pretty and tall. She was walking beside McLaggen and Hermione was sure that she was made for him – it seemed that way. They approached a table and were greeted by a small crowd.

As much as Ginny, Ron, Harry and Luna tried not to draw attention towards their table, Cormac still managed to glance towards their direction. Hermione's muscles immediately tightened when Comrac's eyes locked onto hers. His hand touched the lady's arm beside him and excused himself without breaking the eye-lock with Hermione. When he took the first step towards her, Hermione looked away and cursed the night in silence. She reached for her beer bottle and drank it all before Cormac got there.

She smiled up at him as soon as he said: "Hermione."

"How have you been Mac… Laggen?" She said, remembering that she called him 'Mac' as a term of endearment.

"I've been good. How have _you_ been?"

"Great," Hermione said but she felt the lack of conviction on her part.

Cormac seemed to struggle to say something for a while but then pursed his lips and nodded once.

"That's great," Cormac said, lacking some conviction as well. He clapped his hands together and smiled at each of them. "Enjoy your evening. I have to get back."

Hermione's brows furrowed as she watched him walk away from them. She heard a pop as soon as Cormac joined his date and cheers could be heard from their table.

"_Congratulations!"_

"_I'm so happy for you."_

Hermione listened in. The cheering and greeting was not as unnoticeable as Cormac was hoping. Hermione glanced at the group of people and saw the exchange of hugs and firm hand shakes. A tipsy man stumbled towards Cormac and they both laughed.

"You better take care of my sister," the tipsy man poked Cormac's chest a few times.

"I will," he said but he was far enough for Hermione to doubt what she heard.

Hermione's massive mind processed all the small details and realized what it was that they were congratulating Cormac for. She turned to her friends gathered around the table who never said a word. It was Ron's stern expression that made her turn to Harry, who looked like he was worried about something.

Hermione glanced at Ginny and immediately took notice of the guilty look on her face.

"Tell me," Hermione said to Ginny. "What is going on?"  
Ginny breathed and took her eyes off the plate in front of her. "I didn't tell you because I knew you needed to avoid anything involving him so you could move on."

Hermione waited for Ginny to continue but she didn't so she voiced her suspicion. "Is he engaged to that woman?"

Ginny nodded cautiously, fearing a few hexes that Hermione could throw at them for withholding this information from her.

"And he's here celebrating the engagement?" Hermione asked and Ginny didn't answer, feeling that she didn't need to answer the obvious.

"We didn't know he's celebrating here," Ron said.

"You all knew he was engaged?" She said, her voice steady despite the bubbling emotions inside her.

"It was hardly a secret," Ginny said and she immediately knew how wrong it sounded. Hermione released a choked chuckle and grabbed her tiny glass filled with Firewhiskey. She drank it and slammed it onto the table when it was empty.

"What I mean is the woman is a famous model," Ginny tried to neutralize her last statement. "A few magazines featured them."

Hermione grabbed the bottle and poured some into her glass again; she was surprised that she could still hold it steady even when she felt like bursting with mixed emotions. "When?"

Hermione drank another glass.

"Last week," Ginny said after much hesitation.

Hermione huffed and laughed a little.

"I'm –" Ginny began to apologize but Hermione already stood up and left with all her things. Ginny glanced at the others around the table then looked back at her plate. She sighed and held her head between her hands.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Hermione kicked the light post she passed but due to miscalculation, she slipped, which caused the heel of her shoes to break. She cursed and covered her mouth when she did. She groaned and hit the cemented sidewalk with her closed fist. She withdrew her hand and hugged it close to her chest, stopping herself from screaming due to the pain in her knuckles.

Hermione stood up and slipped her coat on and slowly listening to the buzzing questions in her head.

_When did we break up?_

_Wasn't that two weeks ago?_

_Am I too slow or is he just too fast?_

Such a change in Cormac's life made Hermione realize how steady and rooted to her spot she was to her unchanging life.

"_You need a life," _Hermione remembered Blaise told her.

_A new life_, she thought, agreeing to Blaise's statement. She hit her forehead with her palm to clear her head and continued walking unevenly, wondering if she really should consider having changes in her life.

She didn't have a plan but her mind was counting how many times Blaise tried to push her to something new. Sometimes the changes that he introduced were too simple that her excuse was always: "I'm busy".

Blaise tried to push her to lighten up. Have fun.

She was having fun working.

She knew how to have fun… Right?

That single strand of doubt was joined by a few more strands and a little more until she admitted to herself.

_Alright_, she threw her hands in the air when trying to recall when she had fun came up with no memories of such.

Hermione pulled her coat closed while the laughter and cheers that she heard in the restaurant rang in her ears, as if teasing her. She quickly wiped the tears that blurred her vision and ignored the passing cars, the occasional passer-by and the cold wind of the night.

Hermione was envious, which made her mad. She was mad at McLaggen's ability to find a fiancée in such a short time. Not that Hermione would have married the next man she meets but she knew that she didn't even have anything close to a romantic relationship.

If Ginny has Harry, Luna has Ron, Lavender has Neville and that long-legged model has Cormac…

Hermione and… _who_?

She pushed the thought away and tried to find comfort in the fact that because she didn't have anyone, everything that she was working for was just for herself.

_Once in a while, sharing is nice too, _a voice in her head whispered.

Hermione groaned. She needed to talk to someone before she starts answering herself.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

Draco had just finished talking on the phone about a problem at the excavation site that he was working on before taking a break when the doorbell rang. He walked towards the door, wondering who could be there at that late hour. He peeked through the peep hole and chuckled before opening the door.

Before he could say a witty remark as to why she was standing there, she looked up at him with teary eyes, an indication of tears that fell and tears that are threatening to fall.

"I need to talk to Blaise," she said.

Draco's brows furrowed, "You're crying over Blaise? This is only the second night."

His reply made Hermione stand straighter. "It's none of your business."

Draco felt his hand grip the door handle tighter. "You're on my doorstep and you say it's none of my business."

"You're not the one I came here for," she raised an eyebrow, her tears seemed to be retreating.

Draco's jaw tightened as he struggled with keeping his manners intact. They were silent for a while.

"He's not here," Draco said. "He left for a business trip in France."

Draco watched as her face fell and she asked: "Where in France?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You're going to follow him there?"

"Why not?" She shrugged.

"That's desperate," he said. Hermione's eyes widened slightly and she huffed then sat on the floor, her back against the wall.

Draco felt like biting his tongue, seeing how she took his statement seriously. He kept his door open and walked towards her. She hugged her knees to keep him from seeing underneath her skirt. He couldn't push himself to apologize to her so he tried to appease her instead.

"Do you want a drink?"

Hermione looked up at him and waited for his next statement, she expected something along the lines of "Go get some for yourself!". He stood up and went back in without a word.

Hermione sighed and stood up, she gathered her things and walked towards the lifts. Draco listened to her footsteps that were fading so he went out again and saw her walking away.

"Don't you want to come in?"

Hermione turned and thought for a while before saying "No, thank you".

"Maybe I can help you," Draco said, making a note in his head on booking a flight to France and calling Blaise to pick her up at the airport.

"How?" She asked.

"We'll talk about it over some drinks," he said and shrugged.

Hermione didn't know what convinced her to follow him: the offer of drinks or the effort that Draco showed to make her stay.

"Beer?" Draco asked.

Hermione nodded and watched him turn around to open two bottles. She was trying to figure out why he was being nice to her when Draco gave her one bottle.

"Thanks," she whispered and drank to remove the dry patch in her mouth.

Draco watched her and started to think that Hermione and Blaise probably have something more than a friendship but Blaise seemed to deny it. He had asked him twice and his answer to both were the same. Hermione felt his intent gaze on her so she stopped drinking and looked at him, trying to read the expression on his face.

"Stop staring," Hermione said sternly.

"Are you in love with him?" Draco asked.

Hermione's back straightened and her mouth opened slightly. She was trying to figure out how Draco was reading her mind. "How – what?"

"Are you in love with Blaise?"

Hermione relaxed and laughed – really laughed – before she straightened and looked at him straight in the eye: "No, I'm not."

Draco just stared at her, trying to keep his face uninterested. He was confused. "What makes you desperate enough to go after him in France?"

The look of amusement on her face started to fade. "I just need someone to talk to."

"Where's Scarhead and Weasel?"

Hermione smiled. "I don't want to talk to them."

"You're difficult to deal with," Draco drank from his bottle.

She sighed and traced the lip of the bottle with her ring finger. "I need a life."

He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "Thank you, Ms. Granger, for enlightening us with such an obvious personal dilemma."

She frowned and tried to ignore his remark. "I haven't had fun in a while is what I mean."

He leaned forward, slightly wishing he didn't have such a large table, so he could be closer when he said: "I know how to have fun."

She rolled her eyes at him and drank again.

Draco leaned back and drank without taking his eyes off her. "Would you like to go on a trip with me?"

Hermione chuckled and drank some more. "I –"

"Can't?" Draco said before she could finish. "And you say you need a life."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I'd love to go on a trip."

Draco stared at her for a while then smirked. He raised his bottle and waited for Hermione to raise hers as well. He didn't say anything more so they went back to consuming the beer.

**(~…~)_(~…~)_(~…~)**

**_A/N:_** Thank you for reading! Again, I'm so so so sooooooooooo sorry. Please, please, please review. :)


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